Close to 700 Police officers, yesterday, donated blood as part of the efforts to boost the national blood banks managed by the National Centre for Blood Transfusion (NCBT).

Led by the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) in charge of Administration and Personnel, Juvenal Marizamunda, Commissioners, Senior, Junior, and Non-Commissioned officers, queued the Rwanda National Police (RNP) General Headquarters in Kacyiru in the voluntary blood donation exercise.

It is the second time this year that the Police has donated blood.

The voluntary exercise is in line with the Memorandum of Understanding between RNP and Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) signed in March this year, which binds the two institutions in aspects of health and security related healthcare.

The agreement also focuses on fighting against illicit drugs, sexual and gender based violence; mental health interventions; prevention and detection of fraud and public funds embezzlement in healthcare agencies, among others.

Speaking shortly after the humanitarian act, yesterday, DIGP Marizamunda said that public safety encompasses a lot of things, including their health and welfare.

"That’s why police officers are actively involved in blood donation and other healthcare activities,” DIGP Marizamunda said.

"Safety is a wide aspect; physical security and public healthcare are essential life needs. This is why police officers have committed themselves to join the campaign to have enough blood in the bank to save those in need and to save lives,” the Deputy IGP said.

Adeline Niyondamya, a mobilization official at the Blood Transfusion center, commended the officers that showed up in big number to donate blood.

"This is an act of saving lives...giving patients another chance to live,” Niyondamya said.

"We always work together with RNP in ensuring public health welfare; blood donation signifies the value, dedication and sacrifice our police have for the people,” she said.

The National Blood Transfusion Center has seen an upsurge of blood collections from 22,970 units collected in 2000 tripling to 61,109 in 2016. About 53, 000 units were donated in 2015, according to the biomedical centre.

The center recently received a continental Level Three accreditation, the top most level that African Society for Blood Transfusion (AFSBT) awards for quality and meeting operational requirements that meet international standards.

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