By Charles Katabalwa,
KAMPALA
The Vice Chancellor of Victoria University Kampala, Dr Lawrence Muganga, has rallied students and the public to donate blood as a way of saving lives, during a special drive held to celebrate his sister’s birthday.
The blood donation campaign was organized at the university premises in honor of Hellen Batamuliza’s birthday, while also paying tribute to Muganga’s late mother, Immaculate Kayonga, who passed away on December 21, 2022.
The initiative aimed to collect over 200 units of blood to support patients in need across the country.
Speaking during the event, Muganga urged students and members of the public to embrace voluntary blood donation, emphasizing its critical role in saving lives.
“Blood is not manufactured, yet it is vital to people’s lives—especially for mothers during childbirth and victims of accidents,” he said. “Let everyone donate blood to save lives.”
Muganga also criticized medical facilities that sell blood to patients, noting that such practices discourage voluntary donors.
“People donate blood freely to help others in need. Selling it to patients undermines this goodwill and discourages future donors,” he added.
Meanwhile Hellen Batamuliza, whose birthday inspired the initiative, revealed plans to make the blood donation drive an annual event aimed at saving more lives.
She noted that spending money on lavish birthday celebrations is often unnecessary, and that such occasions can instead be used to make a meaningful impact.
“Rather than spending time on parties, donating blood can save many lives,” she said.
Uganda continues to face a significant shortage of blood, driven by high demand due to diseases such as malaria and sickle cell anemia. The country collects between 300,000 and 400,000 units of blood annually, against a national requirement of about 450,000 units—leaving a deficit estimated between 55,000 and 150,000 units.
