As the world marked this year’s World Blood Donor Day (WBDD), celebrated on 14 June, hundreds of people in Wau town, Western Bahr el Ghazal State voluntarily turned up at the youth center to donate blood on Tuesday.

Some of the blood donors sounded out by Radio Tamazuj said they were doing it to save those in need. Abakar Fatur Thalo said he hoped his blood donation would help pregnant women who bleed during labor.

“The reason we donated blood is to help our brothers, sisters, and our women who are dying during the labor,” he said.

Thalo called on the public not to listen to any rumors that those who donate blood may collapse or feel weak.

“This is my ninth (blood) donation but I did not encounter any challenges and you can now see my health is normal and I participate in sports,” he added. “I am calling on my colleagues, especially the youth to come and donate blood.”

Another donor, Gloria Falex, said she felt good because she will save a life.

“Today as I donated my blood, I know I have helped somebody who lacks blood, is suffering, or is about to die,” she said. “I am urging those people who are fearing to donate blood and not to be afraid.”

Justin Mawa who has donated 16 liters of blood in Wau over the last 4 years said blood donations always help people with emergency cases.

“Sometimes during war, there are people in need of blood during operations, and this why as a small community, we formed a small association which donates blood in this state such that we can be help people,” he said.

Dr. James Ambrose Ucini, the Director-General of the state health ministry said the program aims at creating awareness so that the public can donate blood to help those in need.

“We in the ministry of health, along with our partners and in conjunction with Wau Teaching Hospital and South Sudan Red Cross with the support from the International Committee Red Cross (ICRC) and the communities in Wau, have organized the program of blood donation so that we can give awareness to the public about the importance of blood donation,” he said.

“The World Blood Donor Day is very important and it is the day to offer help to others, especially children, mothers, cancer patients, the elderly and lactating women, and those with other diseases,” he added.

Meanwhile, the state chairperson of the South Sudan Red Cross, Angelina Anthony Ubur, said donating blood is an offer of service to civil life.

“If you have donated blood, this is a service to civil life in many ways. In the process of delivery and accidents, blood should be available at the blood bank and this is how people can survive,” she said. “This blood is not for sale, it will be available at the blood bank.”

The theme for this year’s WBDD is ‘Donating blood is an act of solidarity.