Stanbic Bank Uganda has joined hands with Rotary Uganda in the Rotary Blood Bank programme toraise US$100,000 to purchase ultra-modern blood-processing equipment for the Rotary Blood Bank at Mengo Hospital through.
The Uganda Rotary Blood Bank programme has over the past three years held concerts to raise funds towards building a first class fully-fledged facility that can test, process and pack safe blood. Through the Annual Transformational Leadership Forum and concert and local fundraising drives among Rotary clubs and the community, US$856,000 was raised for construction of the building.
The Annual Transformational Leadership Forum and concert,whose theme is ‘United by Blood’, will take place next week on Friday 28th February 2020.
Speaking at the press conference, Stanbic bank’s Head of Communications – Cathy Adengo said, “We are pleased to be in partnership with Rotary Uganda for the third yearin this noble cause. I’d like to applaud Rotary Uganda and the Mengo Hospital for all efforts made so far to establishing a world class blood bank that is supporting many Ugandans have access to blood when required. We are also pleased to make a contribution of UGX 25 Million towards the purchasing of blood processing equipment that help the blood bank run for efficiently and save many more lives.”
The equipment to be purchased, as total a cost of US$100,000, will complete the blood processing cycle. It includes the Automatic Blood Grouping machine, which determines the donated blood groups. The second, is the Floor Standing Centrifridge 6000i for component preparation, which separates blood into different components like platelets, plasma and packed red cells among others.
Purchase of this equipment will be an additional boost to the recently acquired transfusion transmissible infection testing machines, and will go a long way in making the Mengo Rotary Blood Bank a fully-fledged facility that will serve as a backup to the national blood transfusion services.
The Transformational Leadership forum will feature an array of prominent and inspirational internationally acclaimed speakers including H.E. Dominic Barton, Canada’s Ambassador to China; Professor PLO Lumumba from Kenya; Nabou Fall, a renowned author and blogger and President of the Women’s Investment Club in Ivory Coast; and Mr. Edgar Kasenene a leading business executive and digital transformation advocate across Africa and Europe.
Each of these personalities will address the participants on topics ranging from transformational leadership, international collaborations, public private partnerships, innovation, and the Africa Free Trade Agreement. In addition, there will be a discussion on Africa’s role in the global corporate world by a rich panel of discussants.
The Leadership forum will be followed by a dinner and concert featuring renowned local artistes. The function is expected to attract about 200 people among them corporate organisations. Main sponsors for the Forum include Stanbic Bank and MTN Uganda, which will have each contributed Ushs 25 million.
According to World Health Organization standards (WHO), Uganda needs at least 350,000 units of safe blood annually yet only 250,000 units of blood are collected. This leaves a deficit of approximately 100,000 units of blood annually. This critical blood shortage affects services and puts patients’ lives at risk.
In all, about US$700,000 is needed to cater for extra equipment to transform it into fully fledged Blood Bank independent from the National Blood Bank.
