BLOODLETTING. Philippine Red Cross (PRC) volunteers collect blood from donors in San Ricardo, Southern Leyte Tuesday. The PRC Southern Leyte chapter on Wednesday (July 15, 2020) said a total of 1,242 units of donated blood has served some 717 patients from March to June amid the global health crisis. (Photo courtesy of Jonas Maco)
TACLOBAN CITY – A total of 1,242 units of donated blood to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) in Southern Leyte has served some 717 patients amid the global health crisis.
In a phone interview on Wednesday, PRC chapter administrator Jonas Maco said these ailing patients were assisted from March to June despite the cancellation of several blood donation campaigns due to heightened community quarantine meant to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
“Due to an increasing number of Covid-19 cases throughout the country, the fear of human to human transmission is evident and it is one of the solid reasons why our blood donation campaigns were canceled making our blood stocks reach a critical level,” he said.
Maco said PRC provides 98 percent of the blood supply in the province and to meet the demand amid the pandemic, he said they have been making rounds of information drive and bloodletting activities limited to barangay (village) levels, in-house or family donations, and some religious and civic organizations.
From January to June 30, the chapter collected 2,354 units of blood, he added.
“Donating blood is very essential and eventually makes a big difference in the lives of others, as our slogan says Dugo Mo, Kinabuhi ko (Your blood, My Life),” Maco added.
He assured that they strictly adhere to the guidelines of the Department of Health (DOH) for blood safety and adequacy amid health emergencies.
The humanitarian organization, under its Covid-19 initiatives, has already served 6,235 food packs, assisted some 4,324 font-liners with personal protective equipment, and installed 582 handwashing facilities in the province.
PRC has also launched a skills training program dubbed “Red Cross 1243 Covid-19 Skills Camp,” for locally stranded individuals quarantined in its facility in Maasin City, the capital of Southern Leyte.
“We thanked all our donors, as through your donations, we are able to accomplish our goal of alleviating the human suffering brought by this pandemic and we will continue working towards our mission. You truly make the difference for us and to the people where help is rendered,” Maco said.
Since the outbreak in the country, the province has confirmed a total of 89 cases, the DOH said.
Meanwhile, Eastern Visayas has confirmed a total of 653 cases, including 610 recoveries and three deaths from Leyte, Biliran, and Samar. (PNA)
