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Minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng Breaking Ground for UGX 9.6 Billion Regional Blood Bank in Lira City. Photo by Ambrose Okai. By Ambrose Okai Lira City The Ministry of Health has officially launched the construction of the Lira Blood Bank to address crit
Minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng Breaking Ground for UGX 9.6 Billion Regional Blood Bank in Lira City. Photo by Ambrose Okai.
By Ambrose Okai
Lira City
The Ministry of Health has officially launched the construction of the Lira Blood Bank to address critical challenges in blood storage and distribution in Northern Uganda.
Recently, Lira University Teaching Hospital donated 20 acres of land to Lira Regional Referral Hospital for the construction of a Regional Blood Bank and a Regional Cancer Center. Out of the 20 acres, five acres have been reserved for the construction of a Heart Center.
The construction, which will be executed by the UPDF Engineers Brigade, is expected to cost UGX 9.6 billion, including UGX 5.6 billion for construction and UGX 4 billion for equipping the facility.
On Friday, March 21, 2025, The Minister of Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero, officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony held at Lira University.
She was accompanied by the Acting Director General, Dr. Charles Olaro; Director of Uganda Blood Transfusion Services, Dr. Dorothy Byabazeire; and Commissioner of the Health Infrastructure Department, Eng. George Otim among others.
Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero said in 2020, the ministry of health opened a blood unit at Lira Regional Referial Hospital but was not fully serving the need for blood in the entire Lango.
Aceng said due to overwhelming demand for blood, her ministry sourced for money and land in which the blood Lira Blood Bank will be constructed.
She hopes once completed, the Lira Blood Bank will ensure the collection and safe storage of blood to save lives in the Lango sub-region and beyond.
Lira Regional Referral Hospital Director, Dr. Andrew Odur, stated that the hospital consumes 56% of the blood allocated to the Lango sub-region due to complex surgical procedures and emergency cases handled at the hospital.
He noted that constructing the Lira Blood Bank will solve the high demand for blood at Lira Regional Referral Hospital once it becomes fully operational.
Dr. Odur also rallied the people of Lango to actively participate in blood donation drives to save lives.
Lira City Mayor, Sam Atul, pledged full support for the Lira Blood Bank construction, particularly in improving road infrastructure to facilitate the project.
“Lira City Council recognizes that good roads are vital for both the construction phase and the future operation of the blood bank, which will serve thousands across the region. We will do all it takes to ensure road linkages to the facility are fully improved for city dwellers and the wider Lango community,” Atul said.
Maj. Kizito Mulwana, General Project Manager for the Lira Blood Bank Construction, assured stakeholders that the project’s success is guaranteed under the stewardship of the Ministry of Defense.
He also pledged to engage the community in the project by utilizing local labor and sourcing construction materials from the Lango sub-region to offer economic empowerment to the local communities.
“I guarantee that the Lira Blood Bank will be a model project in terms of efficiency, community engagement, and long-term impact,” Maj. Mulwana said.
Lira University Vice Chancellor, Dr. Prof. Jasper Ogwal Okeng, stated that the construction of the Lira Blood Bank at their facility aligns with the university’s initial plan to host such a facility.
He noted that the Blood Bank will be a boost to healthcare development in the region because most often, shortage of blood has impacted on healthcare service.