Kigali March 18, 2021. Rwanda has not faced any blood shortage across the country during the coronavirus pandemic.
This was disclosed by Dr. Muyombo Thomas, the Division Manager of Blood Transfusion Division, during a three days Blood Collection Camp at RBC-BIOS in Kigali City from Wednesday 17th to Friday 19th March 2021, that was launched yesterday by Rwanda Biomedical Centre through Blood Transfusion Division(BTD) in partnership with Access Bank.
In these difficult times of COVID-19, the Blood Transfusion Division used a special method of blood collection whereby blood donors were called through their phones, on a regular basis.
“In normal situations, we used to mobilise people for blood donation drives through concerts, outreach campaigns, meetings etc. However, all these gatherings are not allowed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Even though we could not recruit new blood donors through normal mobilization ways, we called our regular blood donors; therefore, we didn’t’ experience any blood shortage in hospitals.”
Dr. Muyombo further explained that today blood collection drive will be conducted while complying with measures to fight against COVID-19.
Inspired by the theme of the campaign, “When a mother is saved, a nation is saved.” Nadine RUTABAYIRO in charge of women department at Access bank Rwanda elaborates on why the Bank decided to give a hand to Blood Transfusion Division," We continue to celebrate International Women’s day, we have what we call a women’s month", we keep on empowering all women. We can’t empower them without saving their lives. A mother saved is a nation saved.”
Rosette NYIRAHAGENIMANA, a woman from Rutsiro District, enthusiastically took a long journey from Rutsiro to Kigali to donate blood, “The journey from Rutsiro to Kigali took me more than four hours, just because I need to help patients at hospitals, now I am healthy but I may need to receive a blood transfusion one day ’’. She said.
Gaspard Gatsinzi, a resident of Nyamirambo sector, Nyarugenge district said that giving blood is saving more lives of people in need. “I heard that my blood can save those people in critical conditions at hospitals. That’s why I am here and it is so important for me.” Said Gatsinzi.
RBC through Blood Transfusion Division (BTD) is expecting to collected 100 blood units per day. i.e, 300 blood units in three days.