The National Unity Platform (NUP) party challenges Ugandans to donate blood to save the approximately 7,200 mothers who die every year due to lack of blood.

This was during the party’s launch of a nationwide blood donation campaign which is to take place at every NUP office in the country.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Uganda has an annual demand of about 450,000 units of blood but falls short by over 30% of the required units. The Organization recommends that 1% of blood be collected annually from the population.

While addressing journalists at party headquarters at Makerere-Kavule, Kawempe Division, Kampala, Samuel Davis Wante, Team Leader Uganda Blood Transfusion Service (UBTS) says 18-20 mothers die every day in Uganda due to lack of blood in the labour wards.

Wante adds that in Uganda there is no factory for blood with its source being the people who have to donate the blood to address the shortage more so when the number of people who need it increases every other day especially those suffering from malaria and accidents victims.

Meanwhile, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, the NUP Party President has advised other political parties to borrow a leaf from NUP to mobilize their supporters to donate blood regardless of their political affiliations.

Some NUP Supporters including; Julius Katongole from Lubaga South appreciated party leaders for coming up with this initiative aiming at saving the lives of Ugandans.

By Charles Katabalwa

19 Dec 2024

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