Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Blood Donors Month: More than just bloodletting

DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan - In 2012, Chairman Richard Gordon of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) said the country needs to be prepared because disasters have become bigger.

As predicted, Superstorm Yolanda (Haiyan) slammed Central Philippines in 2013 leaving casualties of close to 3,000 residents in the Visayas region.

Once again, the PRC as with other health workers and local governments are knocking on every Filipino's doors to support the National Blood Donors' Month and collect as many blood for banking to be served to victims during calamities.

In Pangasinan, the Provincial Health Office and the Region I Medical Center (R1MC) will start a series  of bloodletting activities in support of PRC's mission to ease sufferings in time of war, peace and calamities.The schedules include the LGUs of Binalonan (July 8), Umingan (July 21), Mangaldan (July 24), and Bayambang (July 26).

Donors from the Department of Education -West Central Elementary School will donate on July 16 and the Maxima Technology School on July 18. Employees and relatives of the Dagupan City City Electric Corporation (DECORP) will donate on July 18 while employees and mall goers  of Nepo Mall in Dagupan City can donate on  July 29.

Medical Technologist Trisha Ramos said Red Cross has enough blood supply but the increase in blood supply is a must especially this rainy season.

The Region I Medical Center (R1MC), also in the city, has partnered with the provincial government through the Provincial Health Office  for blood donation activities in the province’s sixth district.

“The move is urgent and necessary to ensure safe and readily available blood supply for dengue patients and for women with post-partum hemorrhage. This is  a medical service attuned to the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5 which is Reducing Maternal Mortality,” said Provincial Health Officer Anna  Maria Teresa de Guzman.

Dahlia De Vera, nurse and blood recruitment officer of RIMC, said several religious sectors have signified intention to lead blood donation activities among their members.

These include the Iglesia Ni Cristo (July 5), Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints-Mormons (July 12), Methodist Church in Dagupan (July 19), Seventh Day Adventist (July 26), Catholic Church led by Archbishop Socrates Villegas in Malasiqui (July 20) and in Binmaley (July 29).

The Rural Health Unit of Mangaatrem  town is scheduled on July 18, Junior Chamaber Inc, Alaminos City chapter  (July 20), LGU Sison (July 22) and the Lyceum Northwestern University in Dagupan City (July 24).

De Vera said walk-in blood donors are welcome everyday at the Region I Medical Center. (Venus Sarmiento/MCA//VHS/PIA1-Pangasinan)

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