Red Cross expects rise in demand for blood

MANILA -- The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is expecting demand for blood donations to increase with the expected rise in the number of dengue cases in the coming months.

PRC Chairman Richard Gordon said the entry of the rainy season results in more mosquito-breeding sites, which could mean more dengue-carrying mosquitoes circulating.

“Many of the blood requests that come to Red Cross are for dengue cases,” said Gordon in a statement.

With this, the Red Cross is calling on the public to consider becoming blood donors.

“We are afraid that should dengue cases rise further and demand for blood increase more, the Red Cross and other blood collecting agencies may not be able to cope,” Gordon said.

“Thus, we appeal for more volunteer blood donors to give blood as dengue patients need blood products for transfusion,” he added.

Gordon noted that the request is crucial considering that the months of April to June are “lean months” for blood supply as most of volunteer blood donors are out on summer holidays.

Based on the latest surveillance report of the Department of Health-National Epidemiology Center (DOH-NEC), there were 25,230 dengue cases nationwide from January 1 to May 5 this year.

During the same period, the DOH-NEC also saw 152 deaths from dengue. (HDT/Sunnex)