Blood shortage: 8 die in Fort Portal

UPDF soldiers and members of the public donate blood in Fort Portal town recently. Photo by Felix Basiime

KABAROLE: Eight people have died at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital following blood shortage in Kabarole District.
“There is an acute shortage of blood at the regional blood bank in Fort Portal and as a result, eight people died yesterday (Thursday) at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital. They lacked blood,” said Dr Richard Mugahi, the Kabarole District health officer.

Dr Mugahi, who is also the Tooro Kingdom Deputy minister of health, told journalists in Fort Portal town on Friday at the King’s palace that the hospital management and the blood bank are busy with plans to have harvest more blood.

“There is always a blood shortage when schools close,” he said.
In June 2013, the hospital suffered the same crisis and the then senior Laboratory Technologist at Fort Portal Regional Referral Blood Bank, Mr Moses Mukembo said that they had reserved few units of blood for emergencies at different hospitals in the Rwenzori sub region.
Mr Mugahi said the blood shortage is as a result of students, who are their main donors, being home for school holidays.