About 600 police officers yesterday donated blood as part of national efforts to boost the National Centre for Blood Transfusion (NCBT).

The RNP leadership, commissioners, Junior and Non-Commissioned Officers, lined up at the RNP General Headquarters in Kacyiru to donated blood.

The voluntary exercise that took place at police Headquarters in Kacyiru also coincided with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the police and Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC)

RNP was represented by DIGP Juvenal Marizamunda and the Director General of Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) Jeanine Condo, and witnessed by the State Minister in the Ministry of Health in charge of Public Health and Primary Health Care, Dr. Patrick Ndimubanzi.

The MoU formalizes the existing partnership between the two institutions in aspects of health and security related health care.

Specifically, the long-term collaboration binds the two parties in blood donation that will continue in other parts of the country, fighting against drug abuse among the youth, mental health interventions during the commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, and sexual and gender based violence.

Other areas of partnership include enforcement of laws and regulation against risks of Non Communicable Diseases, fighting counterfeit, selling and smuggling of pharmaceuticals; research activities, creation of data base for healthcare provision; prevention and detection of fraud and embezzlement of public funds in healthcare agencies.

Dr. Ndimubanzi, who also donated blood, commended the existing partnership and described the voluntary blood donation as an act of "heroism, selflessness and sacrifice” to ensure the health of Rwandans in all aspects of life.

"We have been working together in other areas of health-security like fighting drug abuse, GBV and fighting smuggling and counterfeiting of medical drugs. The step to donate blood signifies the value, dedication and sacrifice you have for the people,” he said. 

According to the State Minister, such voluntary exercises continue to boost the blood bank, with at least 10 percent increase every year. Last year, over 60,000 units were collected, up from 53,000 in 2015.

On his part, DIGP Marizamunda said that safety is a wide aspect that includes physical security as well as public security-related healthcare which includes having enough blood in the bank to save those in need.

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