The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) on Tuesday appealed to the public anew to donate blood amid dwindling supplies with less donors due to quarantine restrictions.
Despite diminishing blood supply, however, the PRC assured that it would continue to provide patients with much needed blood to save lives.
“The entire Red Cross organization is busy battling the pandemic through our RT-PCR testing, vaccination programs, and food trucks to affected communities, but the need for blood never stops. Ngayon mas kailangan ng tao ang ligtas at abot-kayang dugo. Kaya naman tuloy-tuloy lang ang Red Cross. [It is during this time that the people need safe and affordable blood supply. That is why the Red Cross continues to provide this],” said PRC Chairman and CEO Sen. Richard J. Gordon.
The PRC noted the difficulties in obtaining rare RH Negative blood types are also being experienced. PRC is appealing to people with RH negative blood to donate if able and save the lives of countrymen in need.
Even with the shortage of donors, PRC managed to serve 186 individuals in need of safe and life-saving blood just for August 16 alone.
“Gaya ng paghihikayat ko sa inyo na magpa-test at magpabakuna, hinihikayat ko rin kayong mag donate ng dugo para makatulong sa mga kababayan nating may kailangan nito. Lalo ngayon ng pandemic at ECQ [enhanced community quarantine] sa ibang lugar sa ating bansa [Just like my appeal to you to undergo testing, get vaccinated, I am also asking you to donate blood to help our countrymen who needs it. Especially now that there is a pandemic and other areas in the country are under ECQ],”added Gordon.
As the pandemic continues and blood donorship dwindles, PRC has managed to collect 28,046 units of blood in the month of July 2021.
The PRC also managed to serve 91,372 patients in need of blood from January to July of this year.
The PRC stressed that their National Blood Service is serving the people given the difficult circumstances brought by Covid, but more blood donors are needed.
Those willing to donate blood may visit www.redcross.org.ph/give-blood.