Davao City launches voluntary blood donation program

Davao City launches voluntary blood donation program

THE City Government of Davao, through the City Health Office, launched on Wednesday the Davao City Voluntary Blood Donation Program at Rizal Park.

Davao City Health Office Officer-In-Charge Dr. Tomas Miguel Ababon said in an interview with Madayaw that the launch marks the start of the program, which will be implemented in the barangays.

“We launched it today but the continuation of the activity is at the barangay level, they will have their bloodletting program,” Ababon said.

He said that barangays will identify the donors, set the schedule, and relay it to the CHO. The CHO will provide the manpower for the bloodletting activities.

The CHO and barangays will help with the gathering of blood, which will be sent to partner agencies for blood service. The blood service will help ensure that the blood is safe for distribution. The partners of CHO for this program are the Philippine Red Cross, the Sub-National Blood Center for Mindanao, and the Southern Philippine Medical Center’s Blood Center.

Ababon said that the blood supply is never enough to cater to those in need, which is why bloodletting activities in the barangays are very important.

“Every day we need blood, every day there are accidents, every day there are people who undergo dialysis, every day somebody is being treated for cancer, there are also diseases like dengue. Our blood supply is never enough to meet these needs so that is why we need to have this regular blood donation program so that at the time of need we can easily provide,” Ababon said.

He said that while priority is given to Dabawenyos in the blood distribution, neighboring towns, and cities may also avail of the blood. This is also the case in disasters.

“It doesn’t mean that if the donors are from Davao, the supply is only exclusive here, it is in the same concept as what the city does in times of calamities, even if we are calamity-stricken we extend help to the neighboring areas, but of course, those who are living in Davao are the priority but if there are excess we will send some,” Ababon said.

Currently, the blood service of the Sub-National Blood Center for Mindanao is free, as announced during the event.

A whole-day bloodletting activity was conducted alongside the launching of the program with city government employees, barangays, and walk-ins catered to.

The bloodletting activity will serve as a model activity to also provide input to barangays as to what they should prepare.

The main program was closed with a Declaration and Sealing of Partnerships between City Government officials, stakeholders, and representatives from invited 40 barangays of the Poblacion District. CIO

 

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