In a bid to crack down on blood shortage, the blood collection exercise has been allocated UGX.10BN with a fraction of UGX.1.2Bn going to Uganda Red cross to do mobilization.
Uganda needs at least 340,000 units of safe blood annually, but usually only collects 200,000 a year.
The acting commissioner planning ministry of health Sara Byakika confirms, through this increment, 75 staff is to be recruited, cold room storage to be expanded and blood collection vans bought to facilitate as well as strengthen blood collection, distribution and storage.
Specifically this year, Uganda has seen shortages in blood with many Ugandans coming out to carryout blood collection campaigns to save the lives of Ugandan coupled with intensified drives by the blood transfusion service.
