Vergeire asks for blood donations to sustain country's supply

Department of Health (DOH) officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire on Monday once again called on the eligible population to donate blood to sustain the supply in blood centers and healthcare facilities. 

In an Unang Balita interview, Vergeire said that their blood supply has to be continuously replenished, despite it being enough for now.

“Nananawagan tayo sa ating mga kababayan, doon sa ating mga volunteer blood donors, kung maaari po makapagbigay tayo para ma-sustena natin ang ating supply ng dugo sa ating bansa,” she said.

(We call on our countrymen and our volunteer blood donors to donate blood if you can so that we can sustain our blood supply in our country.)

Vergeire said that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the blood supply in the country as many people do not want to go out. This was why the DOH tapped its regular donors such as military personnel in the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to sustain their blood supply.

“Sa ngayon, unti-unti na ho uling nag-i-increase ang ating blood donors. Intensive po ang kampanya for blood donation natin ngayon so that we can provide ‘yung blood products na kailangan ng ating populasyon,” she added. 

(Right now, our blood donors are increasing little by little. Our campaign for blood donation is intensive now so that we can provide the blood products that our population needs.)

The DOH National Voluntary Blood Services Program earlier said that potential volunteer blood donors should be a healthy individual aged 18 to 65; has a pulse rate between 60 to 100 beats per minute; should be at least 50 kilograms; has blood pressure between 90 to 160 (systolic) and 60 to 100 (diastolic); and hemoglobin of at least 125 g/L. —KG, GMA News