Cordillera blood donation drive gets boost

BAGUIO CITY - The Department of Health-Cordillera in partnership with the Baguio General Hospital Medical Center (BGHMC) have stepped up its training on blood donation and its benefits among barangay health workers.

The training program is expected to draw more voluntary blood donors and reach the target of 12,000 blood units, the average blood requirement in the region.

BGHMC Blood Bank nurse Roselyn Reyes said that they started training for barangay health workers, district nurses, and midwives in September last year to teach them how to recruit and advocate blood donation.

In the first quarter of 2018, they have conducted the training in the provinces of Ifugao, Abra and Apayao.

Reyes said they are also encouraging barangays in the Cordillera region to schedule a blood donation activity every month.

Records showed that in 2016, BGHMC collected 9,399 units of blood which benefited 4,535 patients.

In 2017, they have collected 9,920 units of blood that benefited 5,716 patients.

For the first half of 2018, they have already collected 5,432 units of blood which were already transfused to 2,819 patients.

To further increase awareness on the importance of blood donation as part of the celebration of the National Blood Donors month, BGHMC conducted a mobile blood donation drive in Bontoc, Mountain Province yesterday.

Similar activities are scheduled in Lamut, Ifugao on July 18; Bangued, Abra on July 25; Tabuk City, Kalinga on July 26; La Trinidad, Benguet on July 31 and Baguio City on the third week of July.

The activities will also be an avenue to give public awareness to the need for quality and safe blood as well as to honor and recognize blood donors and to encourage the voluntary donation of blood.