More blood donors needed in Davao City due to dengue cases, heart surgeries

A demand for more blood supply is needed in Davao City due to dengue cases as well as the operation of Mindanao Heart Center here.

City Councilor Bernie Al-Ag, council committee chair on health, said they need about 200 donors per day to sustain the increasing demand for blood.

Al-ag said for the dengue cases alone, almost all of the supplies are depleted and they wanted to immediately come up with reserve to address the pressing demand for blood supply.

With the operation of the Mindanao Heart Center here, Al-Ag said an open heart surgery would require a good amount of blood that is why they should be ready for these requirements.

He said related to the high demand for blood supply, they convened the Davao City Blood Council composed of multi-sectoral groups which organizations have a good number of members citing among them the Philippine Banana Growers and Employees Association (PBGEA) with 20,000, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Davao City government employees, Liga ng mga Barangay, the City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO) and others.

"What we want to do is for these members to plot their schedule of donating blood so that all of the days will be covered completing at least 200 donors per day," he said.

He said they need to extensively campaign for this as many Dabawenyos might not know this and would be willing to donate. Ideal donors are those between 18 to 56 years old. However, those with tattoos will not be accepted.

He said what is alarming in the dengue cases is the number of deaths where the figure for the first eight months this year is almost equal to the number of deaths in the entire 2009.

In 2009, cases of death for dengue totaled 64 while the number of deaths as of August 2010 already reached 63.

Meanwhile, Al-Ag said the Barangay Dengue Prevention Council had been activated.

The council which is also multi-sectoral aims to remove possible breeding sites of mosquitoes and the conduct of fogging activities.

He said they are more particular about the stocking of old tires and bottles as there are the common places where mosquitoes breed. As to the use of fogging machines, they want to control this because it could harm persons who have respiratory problems.

He said what is important is for the barangay folks to maintain cleanliness and eliminate structures that would be the causes of illnesses.

Al-Ag also said all residents are encouraged to practice the 4 o'clock habit. (PNA)
LAP/Digna D. Banzon/lvp