Rotary club drives lifesaving blood campaign amid rising demand
MWANZA: THE leadership of Rotary Club Rock City Mwanza has commended the sixth phase government under President Samia Suluhu Hassan for strengthening the country’s healthcare infrastructure, saying the investments have significantly improved access to quality medical services for Tanzanians.
The remarks were made yesterday in Mwanza City by the President of Rotary Club Rock City Mwanza, Mr Liakkath Shahul, during the club’s Blood Donation Day commemorations organised in collaboration with Bugando Referral Hospital.
Mr Shahul said the government has made remarkable progress in the health sector through the construction and rehabilitation of healthcare facilities, as well as improvements in the delivery of medical services nationwide.
“We believe President Samia will continue implementing transformative reforms in the health sector to further improve the well-being of Tanzanians,” he said.
Speaking on blood donation, Mr Shahul said Rotary clubs worldwide commemorate Blood Donation Day annually on July 1, while Rotary clubs across Tanzania organise blood donation drives in support of the National Blood Transfusion Services (NBTS) to help maintain adequate supplies of safe blood.
He said the campaigns aim to increase voluntary blood donation in order to meet the growing demand for blood among patients requiring transfusions.
Mr Shahul noted that this year’s campaign seeks to encourage more people to donate blood while dispelling common misconceptions that blood donation weakens the body or permanently reduces blood volume.
“Many people still do not understand the importance of blood donation. Some believe that donating blood permanently reduces the amount of blood in their bodies, which is not true. The body naturally replenishes the donated blood within a short period,” he explained.
He said Rotary Club Rock City Mwanza has remained at the forefront of community development by supporting projects in the education and health sectors, including infrastructure development and other humanitarian initiatives.
Mr Shahul thanked various stakeholders for their continued financial and material support, saying their contributions have enabled the club to implement impactful community service projects. He also expressed appreciation to the Mwanza Regional Government, led by Regional Commissioner Said Mtanda, for its cooperation and support in facilitating the club’s community service programmes.
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For his part, Laboratory Scientist at Bugando Referral Hospital, Mr Revelian Nyanda, described Rotary Club Rock City Mwanza as one of the hospital’s key partners in promoting voluntary safe blood donation.
He said the club annually invites a team of experts from Bugando to supervise blood donation exercises and provide other health-related services during the events.
“Since March 2025, we have been working closely with Rotary Club Rock City Mwanza in blood donation campaigns. This partnership has significantly increased the availability of safe blood for patients who require transfusions,” he said.
Mr Nyanda said the club has become an important partner in helping the hospital maintain adequate blood stocks, adding that the collaboration has contributed to saving many lives.
“Whenever they invite us, we collect substantial quantities of safe blood. We sincerely appreciate their commitment and continued efforts to encourage the public to participate in this lifesaving exercise,” he said.
