Uganda’s persistent blood shortage will take centre stage at the second edition of Heart & Soul Rendezvous, a music and networking event scheduled for November 14, with proceeds and support directed towards strengthening the Mengo Hospital Rotary Blood Bank.
The event, which will take place at Premier Gardens in Kigo, will bring together guests for an afternoon of soul, jazz and R&B music while drawing attention to the need for regular voluntary blood donation.
Ecobank is the headline sponsor of the gathering, which organisers say is intended to turn an elegant social occasion into an opportunity to support blood collection, screening and storage for patients who need transfusions.
According to figures shared by the Uganda Blood Transfusion Services (UBTS), the country is projected to require about 450,000 units of blood annually but collects approximately 300,000, leaving a shortfall of about 150,000 units.
Other estimates put annual demand at about 400,000 units, but both figures point to the pressure on the country’s blood supply.
Uganda uses approximately 1,000 units of blood daily, with demand driven by conditions including complications during childbirth, severe malaria among children, road traffic accidents and surgical procedures.
Women experiencing pregnancy-related complications account for about 30 per cent of blood demand, while children under five require a substantial proportion of the available supply, particularly those suffering from anaemia associated with severe malaria and malnutrition.
Surgical patients, accident victims and people living with conditions such as cancer and sickle cell disease also depend on reliable access to safe blood.
For organisers of Heart & Soul Rendezvous, these needs provide the motivation for supporting the Mengo Hospital Rotary Blood Bank, which plays a role in ensuring that patients can access blood when they need it.
The initiative also seeks to highlight the importance of voluntary, unpaid blood donation, which remains essential to maintaining a dependable blood supply.
A single donation can help save a patient’s life, but organisers say the greatest impact comes from people who make blood donation a regular commitment.
Men can generally donate blood up to four times a year, while women can donate up to three times, subject to medical eligibility and the recommended intervals between donations.
The World Health Organisation recommends that countries aim to collect blood equivalent to at least one per cent of their populations’ needs, underscoring the importance of building a culture of regular donation.
The Mengo Hospital Rotary Blood Bank was established to respond to the need for a reliable supply of blood, bringing together the efforts of medical professionals, Rotary members and long-term voluntary donors.
Some donors have continued giving blood for decades, demonstrating how sustained individual contributions can support patients across different generations.
Their experiences will feature in a documentary accompanying this year’s Heart & Soul Rendezvous. The film will explore why people donate blood and the difference their contributions make to patients and their families.
Beyond the music and social interaction, the event is intended to encourage more Ugandans to recognise blood donation as a practical way of helping people facing medical emergencies.
Organisers say the gathering will combine live entertainment and conversation with an opportunity to support a cause whose impact extends beyond the event itself.
With blood needed daily in hospitals across the country, the initiative seeks to connect the generosity of donors and supporters with the needs of patients whose survival may depend on a timely transfusion.
The second edition of Heart & Soul Rendezvous will take place on November 14 at Premier Gardens in Kigo.
