Intensified blood donation drive boosts access to blood bags in Maguindanao and nearby areas

Cotabato City (Feb. 8, 2017) – The National Voluntary Blood Services Program (NVBSP) of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s Department of Health (DOH-ARMM) launches the first of its four blood-letting activities this year at the DOH-ARMM Center here on Wednesday, February 08.

Blood-letting is a fundamental reason for the creation of the NVBSP through R.A. 7719, or the National Blood Services Act of 1994, that promotes voluntary blood donation to provide sufficient supply of safe blood.

Baibon A. Piang, support staff of the NVBSP, said the volunteer team running the activity on Wednesday is composed of DOH-ARMM officers, as well as medical technologists, nurses, and doctors from the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center. 

An estimated 50 blood donors are expected for the day’s activity. The maximum amount of blood a person can donate every three months, or depending upon physician’s advice, is 450 ml.

Families of patients in need of blood bags, said Piang, can go to the DOH-ARMM office and seek assistance from the NVBSP team. They, however, need to have a blood request from their doctor and that the blood bag would be replenished immediately through another donor coming from a member of the requesting family. 

All the blood collected in the quarterly activity will go to the CRMC Blood Center. “Kung sino po ang may kailangan at lalapit sa kanila (DOH) ire-release po namin ang dugo pag may authorization to withdraw galing sa DOH,” said Anthony Francis de Dios of the CRMC Blood Center.  

“As long as may pondo at continuous ang blood donation, makakapahiram kami sa mga nangangailangan,” he added. Clients served by CRMC Blood Center are mostly coming from Cotabato City, Maguindanao, and from South and North Cotabato.  

Kadil Sinolinding, DOH-ARMM Secretary, encouraged all ARMM employees and those outside of the compound to donate blood during the day, or in their next quarter of collection. More donors, he said, mean sufficient supply of safe blood to meet demands in emergency cases within the Cotabato-Maguindanao area.

To be a qualified blood donor, one must at least weigh 50 kilograms, must have a normal blood pressure, and should pass the hemoglobin testing and physical check-up. 

The benefits of donating blood include reduced risk of hemochromatosis, a health condition caused by excess absorption of iron by the body due to drinking alcohol or anemia; prevention of cancer as the iron stores in the body are maintained at healthy levels; healthier heart and liver; weight loss as you lose around 650 calories by donating; and the generation of new and healthy blood cells. (Bureau of Public Information)

(By JC-MPF with PR from Bureau of Public Information – ARMM)