By Analou de Vera
The Department of Health (DoH) is encouraging the public to donate blood to “ensure the supply of safe blood for patients in need.”
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that transfusion of blood and blood products can help patients with life-threatening conditions, such as anemia, severe liver disease, bleeding disorders, and surgical emergencies “to live longer with a higher quality, and supports complex medical and surgical procedures.”
“It also has an essential life-saving role in maternal and child care, and during emergency response to man-made and natural disasters,” said the health secretary during a press briefing at the DoH Central Office in Manila yesterday.
Duque also added that the country’s goal of gathering one million blood units has already been achieved in December 2017.
“The country’s goal to obtain 1 percent (1 million blood units) blood collection from the total population was achieved and collected 1,120,408 blood units. This represents a significant contribution to the global call for a 100 percent voluntary blood donation by the World Health Organization (WHO),” said Duque.
The World Blood Donor Day is being observed globally today, which aims to recognize voluntary, unpaid blood donors “for their gift of life-saving blood” and to intensify awareness on the importance of regular blood donation.
