Latest Embassy news

CDC Uganda Staff Celebrate World Blood Donor Day with Blood Drive

47 units of blood collected could save lives of 141 children

As part of the global recognition of World Blood Donor Day (June 14), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with the Uganda Blood Transfusion Service (UBTS), staged a blood drive on June 11 at the campus of the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI).   The event kicked off with a presentation from UBTS Executive Director Dr. Dorothy Kyeyune on the critical role that blood donors play in the health system and the wider importance of blood safety, which is a core component of CDC’s work in Uganda. Dr. Tadesse Wuhib, CDC’s country director in Uganda, also delivered remarks.  Following this was the blood drive, which drew upon staff from UVRI, CDC, and several other health and research agencies housed at the Entebbe campus. By the end of the day, 47 units of blood were collected, which, according to UBTS, could save the lives of up to 141 anemic children.

Every year on June 14, countries worldwide celebrate World Blood Donor Day with events to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood.  The theme for 2012 is “Every blood donor is a hero.”  While recognizing the unsung heroes who save lives every day through blood donations, the theme also encourages people all over the world to donate blood voluntarily and regularly.

In her remarks, Dr. Kyeyune noted that the need for blood in Uganda is high—with approximately 60% of collected blood going to aid children suffering from malaria; 30% to mothers with complications of pregnancy and childbirth; and accident victims, cancer patients, and people requiring surgical procedures accounting for about 10% of the need.

Dr. Wuhib commended the day’s heroes and stated that “by holding this blood drive here today, we are proving that, at CDC, we can be heroes not only by supporting national blood safety programs but also by becoming individual blood donors.”  CDC, through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, works with Uganda’s Ministry of Health to develop and strengthen the country’s National Blood Transfusion Service with the goal of ensuring an adequate supply of safe blood through screening for transfusion-transmissible infections, such as HIV, syphilis, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C.  CDC’s support has also funded construction of the new UBTS headquarters in Kampala which includes a blood bank, laboratory and administrative building; two fully-operational regional blood banks in Mbarara and Mbale; and two additional regional blood banks currently under construction in Fort-portal and Gulu.