Volunteers donate blood during a bloodletting activity at the Kanlaon Hall, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) – Central Command Compound in this June 2019 photo.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Subnational Blood Center for the Visayas (SNBCV), the lead blood service facility in the Visayas region, is running out of blood supply.
With the prevailing community quarantine and the public’s fear of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), health officials here admit that their stock of blood that is availed by all government hospitals in the Visayas has depleted and they are finding it difficult to replenish.
Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, said as of July 8, 2020, only three units of type O+ blood remain at the SNBCV.
“Can you imagine nga ang subnational blood center, nagprovide og blood sa tibuok region, kami ra ang nagsupply og dugo [pero] wala kitay dugo?” Loreche said in a virtual presser aired by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA-7).
(Can you imagine the subnational blood center which provides blood for the entire region, we are the only center supplying blood but we don’t have any.)
Save a life
Loreche appealed to the public to donate blood as she assured that it is safe to participate in the DOH-7-organized bloodletting activities despite the prevailing COVID-19 health crisis.
Loreche lamented that their blood donation teams are sometimes denied entry to the communities when they try to hold mobile donation drive because some residents fear that they are COVID-19 carriers.
In areas where they are able to set up a blood donation drive, only very few people would show up and participate, Loreche said.
“Naghangyo kami, please help us disseminate the information nga dili mahadlok maghatag og dugo because when we give blood, we save a life. We are actually heroes right now,” Loreche said.
(We are appealing, please help is disseminate the information to donate blood because when we give blood, we save a life.)
Loreche also assured that in times when a blood donor or his family would need blood, the blood center will return the favor and help.
“Sometime in our lives, we will be needing blood also. Kung kana siya mahitabo sa imoha o sa imong kaparyente, then you can rely on us nga tungod kay naghatag ka matagaan pod ka namo,” Loreche said.
(If something happens to you or a relative, then you can rely on us that because you gave blood, we will also give you blood.)
At present, Loreche said they are relying on government agencies and employees such as members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Army to replenish blood supply. /bmjo