The government is intensifying efforts to eliminate blood expiry within two years and improve the efficiency of its blood donation system through four major initiatives, according to the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC). While only around 1 per cent of donated blood currently expires, RBC officials say this can be eliminated through targeted logistical, technological, and strategic improvements. 1. Electric motor-cycles for Urban Blood Transport To overcome traffic-related delays in cities, the government plans to introduce electric motorcycles for blood transportation, starting in the 2026–2027 fiscal year. “Quick access to blood can save lives, especially in emergencies,” said Dr Thomas Muyombo, Director of the Regional Centre for Blood Transfusion at RBC. “Electric bikes will help us bypass traffic and speed up delivery.” ALSO READ: World Blood Donor Day marked with call to young people to donate more While drones are already used to reach rural hospitals, urban traffic remains a bottleneck. The switch to electric vehicles also supports environmental goals and ensures safe, clean transport of blood products. Moise Tuyishimire, RBC’s Blood and Cornea Donor Recruitment and Retention Specialist, added that timely deliveries will reduce the tendency of hospitals to over-request blood, which can lead to unnecessary wastage. 2. Intwari Club 25: Mobilising Youth Donors To increase donor retention, especially among young people, RBC launched Intwari Club 25 in 2023. The initiative encourages members to commit to donating blood at least 25 times. “Youth have more years ahead to give. A 20-year-old can donate for decades,” said Tuyishimire. ALSO READ: RBC issues critical appeal for type O blood donations By 2024, the club had 469 active members who contributed 515 units out of 84,313 collected nationally that year. There are two main types of donations: whole blood and blood components such as plasma or platelets, the latter using apheresis machines. 3. Digitising Blood Services Rwanda is rolling out a digitised blood management system to be operational within two years. It will enable self-registration, appointment scheduling, and real-time reminders for donors. “Digitisation will reduce waiting times and make follow-up easier,” said Dr Muyombo. “It will also allow faster mobilisation of previous donors during emergencies.” A dedicated call centre will support coordination and streamline responses to urgent needs, while also helping track rare blood types and reduce logistical costs. 4. Matching Collection with Anticipated Demand RBC is shifting from reactive to proactive collection, forecasting demand around scheduled surgeries or seasonal risks, such as higher accident rates during holidays. “If hospitals know they’ll need blood for specific operations, we collect in advance to match that need,” said Tuyishimire. This strategic approach aims to ensure availability without excess or expiry. Prevention still key At the World Blood Donor Day event last week in Musanze District, Northern Province Governor Maurice Mugabowagahunde stressed prevention. “We’re promoting healthy lifestyles, nutrition, and accident prevention to reduce demand for transfusions,” he said. Dr Solange Mukeshimana Kagemanyi, a healthcare provider at Frontier Diagnostic Center, noted that non-communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes limit some people’s ability to donate. “Our approach is to keep patients healthy and stable, reducing transfusion needs,” she said. Donatille Nyiransabimana from Musanze became a regular donor after a life-threatening childbirth complication in 2020. “Someone’s donation saved me. Since then, I’ve donated nine times,” she said. Eugene Bagirishya, 43, has donated 74 times since 1999. After his sister’s recent recovery thanks to a transfusion, he’s now aiming for 100 donations. Bagirishya is among RBC’s top ten donors. Blood component shelf life Plasma, when frozen, can be stored for up to 12 months—the longest shelf life among blood products. Platelets last only five days, while red blood cells last 35–42 days. Whole blood has a shelf life of up to 35 days. In 2024, RBC collected 84,383 blood units from 58,688 donors. Men accounted for over 70 per cent of donations, with women contributing about 30 per cent. Youth aged 18–25 were the leading donor group, making up 65.3 per cent of the total.
