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Sunday, July 03, 2005
Foundation spearheads blood typing for dengue patients
IN THE midst of a dengue outbreak in the city, Tzu Chi Foundation, a private charitable organization, in coordination with the city government and other agencies, will hold today, July 3, a blood typing activity for potential donors in a bid to ensure sufficient blood supply in cases of transfusion requirements due to dengue or other eventualities in the future.
Vice Mayor Beng Climaco who is coordinating the activity together with other agencies said the free blood typing will be held from 8-11 in the morning, at the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Conference room, along La Purisima Street.
The activity will be only for people aged 18-45 years old or those who commit to make themselves available for blood donation when they are called upon by the Tzu Chi blood registry to appear either at the Red Cross or a the Zamboanga City Medical Center blood bank.
Climaco said the Tzu Chi Foundation would jumpstart the set up of a blood donor registry that will provide a confidential database of potential donors with their blood types, amidst the dengue epidemic in the city.
Under this set up, should a co-registrant need blood for transfusion, he can tap the registry for information of potential donors who have committed to donate their blood for free, their health permitting.
In today’s blood typing activity, the vice mayor said, there would be no need to make blood donation although the Red Cross will be there to assist anyone who wish to make a donation.
Veterinarian Anton Lim of the Tzu Chi Foundation is coordinating the activity with Vice Mayor Climaco and Fr. Allain Ruiz of the Metropolitan Cathedral. Other agencies helping out are the local chapter of the Red Cross, the PAMET and the STOP DEATH.
“With a population of over 600, 000, the sight of worried parents and their relatives running around looking for blood for emergency transfusion of their loved ones is heart rending and totally unnecessary,” Dr. Lim emphasized.
He stressed that the city should have “enough selfless love for those in need.”
Climaco said: "We are looking for potential committed blood donors in the future in response to the dengue cases and other eventualities.” |
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