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Early this week, a selected group of students donated more than 1,000 units of blood in a two-day blood donation drive at Kitebi Secondary School.
The drive, organised by SICPA Uganda in partnership with Uganda Blood Transfusion Services and the school’s administration, was a gesture of solidarity for those in need of blood in Uganda. With a student population of approximately 4,000, the school offers a large pool of potential donors.
According to UBTS guidelines, eligible donors must be aged 17 years and above. This makes students in Senior Three through Senior Six the primary target group for the drive. In addition, the campaign is rallying teachers, SICPA staff and the wider community to step forward and save lives.
For students, the experience was both patriotic and life-changing. Milly Harriet Namata, the school’s Prime Minister, speaking during the first phase of the drive, praised her peers for their courage.
She said, ‘It is not something simple and is a fear to many of the youth. However, those who come forward are not only heroes, but also patriotic,” Namata added.
‘I urge all students to dedicate themselves to this programme as a lifelong practice, because through it we are contributing to saving the lives of mothers, children and accident victims.’
However, according to William Mugisha, the principal blood donor officer at the UBTS, the issue of blood is a responsibility of everyone, whether an individual or an organisation, and donating blood should not be left to students alone.
He explained, ‘Let blood donation be a spiral in a way that it is everyone rising up and understanding that there are people who are needy and in need of blood.’
Mugisha added, ‘If we do it together, it becomes a renewed promise, because blood donation is continuous.’ It should be noted that as Uganda’s population continues to grow, even the need for blood also continues to rise. Upon this backdrop, Mugisha pointed out that while students’ contribution is commendable, relying on them alone is unsustainable.
He warned, ‘Students should not be like slaves or a burden even if they have the passion. Compared to the general population, their numbers are small and if students stopped donating, people would eventually lose out to the crisis.’
During blood drives, professionals conduct pre-donation counselling and rigorous screening to ensure that donors are safe and that only the safest blood is collected. Mugisha noted, ‘There is no pharmacy for life. Blood must come from healthy human beings between the ages of 17 and 60.’
In Uganda, the demand for blood goes far beyond what students alone can sustain. As such, hospitals across the country continue to face shortages, especially during emergencies such as road accidents, maternal complications, and surgeries.
Children suffering from severe malaria and patients battling cancer are also among the most vulnerable who depend on a steady supply of safe blood.
Experts warn that unless more adults embrace blood donation as a routine act of compassion, the health system risks being overwhelmed. However, Mugisha stresses, ‘When someone sees that people are committed to saving lives, they are assured of life tomorrow.’
Susan Kitariko, General Manager of SICPA Uganda, also noted that while blood cannot be manufactured or bought, it must come from people willing to give a part of themselves to others.
‘Every donor is a hero, and every drop counts,’ she said, adding that blood donation is a selfless act that directly saves lives, underscoring the need for communities and institutions to rally behind UBTS.
‘When communities come together, we can rise to meet the most pressing challenges that face us,’ she highlighted.
SICPA has been investing in community health initiatives, with Kitebi Secondary School standing out as a consistent contributor.
The school has now donated blood for the third time, contributing more than 10,000 units over the years. With a student population of over 4,300, Hajji Muhammed Kamulegeya, the team leader at Kitebi Secondary School, pledged continued support.