BACOLOD City Health Officer Ma. Carmela Gensoli has urged all the barangay officials in Bacolod to conduct bloodletting program in their respective villages.
Gensoli said Monday, August 26, from January to August 17, Bacolod City has a total of 1,325 dengue cases, which increased by 106 percent with six deaths compared to last year's 600 cases with five deaths.
"We encourage our barangay officials to conduct bloodletting activity within their barangay to help our dengue patients. For now, we lack blood supply because of the dengue epidemic," she said.
She added the bloodletting activity is a big help to gather more blood for the dengue patients in Bacolod.
Gensoli noted the barangays are allowed to conduct bloodletting activity three to four times a year. She said some barangays in Bacolod already held the activity to help their dengue patients.
In 2018, Barangay Granada won the Sandugo award given by the Department of Health (DOH).
The barangay's village chief, Alfredo Talimodao, said earlier that it has been the project of the barangay that started during the time of former village chief, Salvacion Sombilla.
He said the blood donation is in line with their program dubbed as "Dugo ko Kabuhi mo," wherein they hold it three times a year.
In every blood donation drive, more than 100 volunteers donate their blood, which was then turned over to the blood bank of the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital and the Negros First Blood Bank.
The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Negros Occidental-Bacolod City Chapter earlier said that donating blood is a safe opportunity to give the gift of life. Type "O" blood is the "most in demand" at the blood bank while types A, B, and AB are rare.
The PRC is also conducting bloodletting program in various cities and municipalities in Negros Occidental.