Uganda Red Cross in Partnership with Kabaka Foundation organised a breakfast meeting at Bulange Mengo this morning.
The event was aimed at mobilising stakeholders to rally support towards blood donor mobilisation in the Buganda Kingdom counties.
The duo seek Shs1.1bn to traverse the Kingdom counties to raise over 250,000 units of blood in 12 months (starting November 2023).
Uganda Red Cross, mandated by the Government of Uganda to mobilise voluntary blood donors, works closely with partners to fulfil its mandate.
In 2021, Uganda Red Cross sealed a partnership with the Kabaka Foundation and engaged the Buganda Kingdom counties where 157,798 units of blood were mobilised from 14 counties by 2022.
The Kabaka of Buganda, through the Kabaka Foundation, has established structures to serve the people in areas that affect their wellbeing, including Health.
The Buganda Kingdom Health Minister, who also doubles as the Minister in charge of the office of Nnabagereka, Oweekitiibwa Kotilda Nakate Kikomeko delivered the message from the Kabaka at the breakfast meeting.
The event was also graced by Bishop Paul Ssemogerere, Archbishop of Kampala Archdiocese
– Rtd Bishop Micheal Ssenyimba – Board Chair Kabaka Foundation
– Owekitiibwa Christopher Bwanika – Artonney General – Kingdom of Buganda.
Robert Kwesiga, Secretary General of Uganda Red Cross, extended great appreciation to the Kabaka of Buganda for accepting Uganda Red Cross to use the Kingdom structures to mobilise blood and bring to a close the blood shortages in the country.
“We thank the Kabaka of Buganda through the Kabaka Foundation for this opportunity given to us to work with the Kingdom, access the county structures to mobilise blood. Since we started our strategy of taking blood to the community, we have seen tremendous success and increase in blood collected over the years. Blood from Buganda has been serving the whole country, and this explains why we’ve not had shortages in a very long time. This has been made possible through the partnership we have with the Kabaka Foundation.” Kwesiga added.
