Friday, June 01, 2007 PNRC-Benguet assures blood supply but calls for more walk-in donors
WHILE assuring that they have enough supply in their blood bank, the Benguet Chapter of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) is calling on volunteers, who could be readily tapped by the agency when needed.
The local chapter is preparing for the onset of the rainy season, as this is the period when walk-in blood donors are much needed.
PNRC-Benguet Chapter administrator Oscar Paris assured there is enough blood supply on the agency's blood bank, but added they would be needing walk-in donors in the coming rainy months, which is also the expected peak season of the dreaded dengue fever.
Paris said patients afflicted with the dreaded disease need blood directly from donors.
This, he said, is due to the fact that platelets (which survive only for five days) in the blood are transfused to dengue patients.
The agency sustains 100 units of blood in the blood bank monthly to ensure that there is sufficient supply.
In 2006, PNRC-Benguet was able to collect 1,024 units of blood, which benefitted 465 patients from various hospitals in the province, Baguio and nearby places. (JC)
