ILOILO City – Ilonggos should donate blood especially now that “dengue cases are on the rise,” according to Provincial Health Office (PHO) head Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon.
Colmenares-Quiñon fielded the statement to encourage more locals to donate blood in a bid to augment the supply of the Philippine Red Cross.
From Jan. 1 to May 18, 43 towns and one component city in the province recorded a total of 1,846 dengue cases with 10 deaths.
“We need to intensify our blood collection because we will also be needing blood for maternal cases like maternal complications and post-partum hemorrhage,” Colmenares-Quiñon said.
Thus, local government units (LGUs) and blood coordinators should encourage and spearhead blood collection in municipalities, she added.
To schedule a blood donation, donors must coordinate with the LGU or a nearby district hospital. Red Cross also accepts walk-ins.
Colmenares-Quiñon reminded donors to ensure they have at least six hours of sleep and they are in good health condition before donating blood.
The PHO is also urging offices at the provincial capitol to donate blood to Red Cross.
“We told capitol employees to inform [Red Cross] ahead of time if they are going as a group when they donate,” Colmenares-Quiñon said.
She lauded the Rural Health Units and district hospitals in the province, which have been “very active” in helping the province gather more blood bags.
These health facilities ensure that their pregnant patients have blood donors of their own in case they need blood donation before and after birth.
“This is considered one of the best practices of our RHUs and hospitals,” Colmenares-Quiñon said.
Aside from these health facilities, Quiñon also commended LGUs for making sure that at least 1 percent of their populations are blood donors.
In 2018, the town of Tubungan secured 2.46 percent of its population as blood donors; Passi City, 2.08 percent; and Igbaras, 1.39 percent.
The towns of Banate, Binagawan, Mina, Santa Barbara, Zarraga, San Enrique, and Dueñas also reached the 1-percent target. (With a report from PNA/PN)
