The Uganda Police Force have Thursday afternoon announced that the blood donation exercise which was scheduled for tomorrow March 2, at City Square in Kampala has been pushed to a later date.
The campaign was initiated as a response to the accute shortage of blood that the country is currently grappling with.
Police revealed the postponement through a statement on their social platforms but could not give an explaination as to what caused it. They said a later date would be communicated.
“This is to inform the public that the blood donation exercise which was scheduled to take place tomorrow 2/3/2018, in celebration of International Women’s Day has been postponed. A later date will be communicated,” read the police statement.
Many organizations and government agencies have recently stepped up efforts as part of their corporate social responsibility to rally Ugandans to donate blood.
On February 14, the Uganda Blood Transfusion Services (UBTS) halted a scheduled blood collecting drive organized by the opposition Forum for Democratic change (FDC) youths group at last minute.
Media reports have severally indicated that some Ugandans especially in upcountry health facilities have lost their lives due to the blood crisis.
Last month, the Uganda’s National Blood Bank in Nakasero had emptied its blood stocks to just about 100 units of blood yet on a daily basis, the bank should give out at least 1,000 units, leaving a shortage of 900 unitsunit
The crisis is partly attributed to a 1.2 billion shilling fuel shortage which has made it impossible for the bank to conduct blood donation mobilization drives.