Blood donors who received certificates take group photo with Red Cross officials and political leaders during the ceremony. Photo by Information is Power.
Political leaders and well wishers in Westnile have on Tuesday 20-6-2023 pledged to intensify blood donation and awareness campaign to save lives in the region.
This year's celebration which is themed Give blood, save life and share often, has been held on Tuesday 20-6-2023 at OPM grounds in Arua City.
Red Cross project officer for first aid and blood donor recruitment, Mrs Stella Ajore Ekatan thanked blood donors in Westnile for donating blood to save lives but urged more people in the region to embrace and be consistent with it because there is still unmated demand for blood.
Mr Fred Owuma Okumu, the Red Cross branch manager for WestNile region rallied the general public to get registered with Uganda Red Cross society by paying a membership fees of 50,000 Shs each.
We don't have any factory that manufactures blood, Mr Owuma lamented as he chipped in the issue of awarding certificates to appreciate ardent blood donors who have donated blood for more than 50 times.
The program manager for blood donor recruitment Mrs Sarah Mutegombua who also represented the secretary general for Uganda Red Cross society Mr Robert Kwesiga, applauded some of the blood donors who testified in Tuesday's event, to have willingly donated blood at the age of 16 years and many others who risk their lives to donate blood to save lives of others.
She stated that, for a patient who is in critical need of blood to remain alive, the maximum duration is only 30 minutes, which is termed as "30 golden minutes".
Arua District LC V Chairperson Hon Alfred Okuonzi who was also the guest of honor for tye ceremony appealed to the general public to donate more bloods to cater for other risks like fatal accidents, teenage pregnancies and abortions which often lead to lots of blood loss.
He pledged total support from the district council by inviting Red Cross officials to make presentations on blood donatios in the next council sitting, and he further promised to take the matter to the attention of WestNile Districts Association where he is as an executive member and also the regional supervisor of the private sector to ensure they (NGOs) support Red Cross in the noble course of blood donation.
The statistics of last year 2022 showed that, WestNile donated only 14,000 units of bloods out of the required standard of 35,000 units per year, making it one of the poor regions in Uganda in terms of blood donation.
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