Davao de Oro: With the prevailing havoc brought by the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) worldwide, Davao de Oro stands against its way to continue and sustain blood sufficiency for all its constituents.
Blood donation is a way of life of the people of the province. Since 2010, the Department of Health consistently awarded the Blood Services Program of Davao de Oro with the National Sandugo Awards for always reaching its blood target through the BSP (Blood Sufficiency Program).
Dangers imposed by the current situation can be deterrent to any activities in the present, but Davao de Oro runs on, ensuring access of safe blood while preventing Covid-19 transmission through a modified blood collection designed to deliver essential life-saving resource. To satiate the need for blood on the four provincial hospitals in the province, a facility-based collection and donor recall for blood specific cases over the usual community-based collection was made.
The new technique in blood collection minimizes the exposure of public health workers from the deluge of volunteers to donate blood and maintaining social distancing. A minimum of five regular blood donors shall be invited and will undergo a screening examining their over-all health status, travel histories especially from places with confirmed cases of the dreaded disease and close-contacts with PUIs and persons with respiratory tract infection.
Along with the conduct of the activity, a Donor Recruitment Officer (DRO) will conduct health information on Covid-19 helping potential blood donor to assess themselves and practice self-deferral in case of possible exposure to Covid-19.
A synchronized facility-based blood collection schedule is made already for the 11 municipalities of Davao de Oro following guidelines on preventive measures for the safety of the health personnel.
Davao de Oro unleashes its versatility to accommodate and directly act to the current crisis with a remodeled approach to guarantee safety and welfare of its greatest treasure; its own people. (Jasteen Abella, ID DAVAO DE ORO)