Mount Kenya University’s School of Health Sciences, in partnership with the National Blood Transfusion Centre, yesterday, hosted a blood donation event at the varsity as part of activities to mark the World Blood Donation Week.

Dr Mercyline Kamande, the principal of Mount Kenya University Kigali Campus, said: "We wanted to make a meaningful contribution to society, so we have encouraged  our students, staff and community to donate blood so that we save lives,” said Kamande.

Alexie Mukamazimpaka, the in charge of mobilisation at NBTC,  told the students and faculty members that blood donation is critical in the country’s health system.

She said that in the past, hospitals would only start looking for donors with a matching blood group when a patient needed it, which led to unnecessary deaths.

"Now as more people come forward to donate blood, it allows us to have a bank in that whenever a patient needs it, we readily avail it which has led many lives being saved,” says Mukamazimpaka.

Clemence Umuhoza, a pharmacy student at Mount Kenya University, who donated blood at the event, called on other students and the public to donate blood, saying that this was a noble cause.

"I am very lucky to be alive and healthy. I think I owe it to the community to donate my blood so that someone who needs it can be saved.”

The drive also attracted other students from secondary schools around the City of Kigali, and including Lycee de Kigali, King David Academy, and IFAK.

Blood Donation Day is marked globally every June 14.