Hospitals in Rwanda depend on blood in emergencies such as childbirth complications, road accidents, and other cases where patients lose blood and need urgent replacement. ALSO READ: Dispelling misconceptions around blood donation From a small blood bank at the former Central University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK), the system has grown into a national service with five regional centres supplying hospitals across the country. Drones now help move blood faster when time is critical, according to health officials. ALSO READ: Fear, faith, and misconceptions: Why people avoid blood donations Dr. Thomas Muyombo, the Blood Transfusion Division Manager at Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), told The New Times that over time, supply has improved from about 47 percent coverage to around 99.7 percent in the past three years. Annual collection has risen from about 45,000 units to around 92,000 units in the past eight years, with nearly the same workforce. The country is now among a small group of African countries meeting top blood safety standards, alongside Namibia and parts of Tanzania, he noted. “The country has become a regional training hub under the African Society for Blood Transfusion (AfSBT). It is set to host the society’s congress in 2028 and is also engaging the International Society for Blood Transfusion (ISBT) for a possible global congress in 2030,” he said. The system was severely affected during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi due to the scale of injuries and demand for blood. It was later rebuilt and strengthened, especially after the establishment of the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) in 2011, which helped standardise services nationwide. One of the biggest changes in recent years has been the use of drones. Today, they transport more than half of all blood distributed in the country, making over 200 flights a day to different hospitals. The system has made emergency response faster in areas where distance used to delay treatment. Blood saves lives Dr. Muyombo said that blood is one of the few medical treatments that can’t be manufactured, but is needed in hospitals every day. “Donation helps medical doctors and other health practitioners get access to a form of treatment that cannot be produced by any factory. It is needed mostly in emergencies, especially when patients are at risk of losing their lives,” he added. The health expert noted that most transfusions are needed in childbirth complications and trauma cases such as road accidents. “When someone is giving birth and bleeds a lot, they require a transfusion to be safe. Once someone gets injured in a road traffic accident and loses blood, they will require a transfusion to replace what has been lost,” he said. Dr. Muyombo stated that blood donation is a life-saving act that benefits people the donor may never meet. “Blood transfusion is not a mere or simple act. It is a heroic act that saves the life of someone you don’t know,” he said, explaining that because emergencies happen daily, hospitals must always have enough blood. Awareness and mobilisation The Rwanda Blood Transfusion Service has been operating for about 50 years and continues to run awareness campaigns to encourage voluntary donation. Dr Muyombo said mobilisation is continuous and supported by donor representatives across the country, and radio, television, and other media platforms. World Blood Donor Day is globally observed on June 14. The official theme for the 2026 campaign is “One drop of humanity. Give blood. Save Lives.” Eligibility to donate blood “To donate, a person must be healthy, aged between 18 and 60 years, and weigh at least 50 kilos. They must be free from infections such as HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and syphilis. “People with conditions such as asthma, heart disease, hypertension, and kidney disease are assessed individually before donation, with additional screening carried out to ensure safety.” Benefits for donors Dr. Muyombo said donors benefit by knowing their blood group and receiving basic health checks. “We always want people to come with just the will of helping someone, and then they can also know their blood group and their health status,” he said.
