BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—More than 200 villagers here have joined the mainstream of blood donors as the province recently conducted the First Blood Donation Olympics.
Dr. Edwin Galapon, provincial health officer said that out of the total number of registrants, 175 passed the screening process.
“Each one of these donors were extracted with 500 cc of blood. This supply will ensure the availability of blood for the needy,” he said.
He said the activity was a success considering the overwhelming support of various agencies and civil society organizations in the province.
Randy Blanco, Philippine Red Cross administrator said they are planning to do the same activity before the end of the year to sustain the blood donation program.
“We are grateful for the participation and contribution of our fellow Novo Vizcayanos who have realized the importance of blood donation. We have 85-percent turnout of qualified donors,” he said.
Blanco said they are also set to conduct bloodletting in the 15 towns of the province to institutionalize regular blood donation in the province.
He added that based on their monitoring of patients supplied with blood, almost 100 percent of patients survived their ordeal in various hospitals.
He said blood donation is needed to sustain the average consumption per day of five to 10 blood bags among patients in hospitals who are in dire need of replenishment and augmentation.
Blanco also said the most number of qualified blood donors among the agencies and CSOs who participated in the blood donation Olympics will be given P30,000 incentive for the first prize, P20,000 for the second and P10,000 for the third prize.
He said a Million Volunteer Run will also be conducted next week from Bayombong to Solano town to raise funds for the blood program of the province.
The First Provincial Blood Olympics was sponsored by the PRC, provincial government, public hospitals, Department of Health (DoH) and the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, among others.
Blood donation is also adopted as one of the major activities of CSOs in the province through their own initiated monthly bloodletting activities.