Aklan local blood council organized
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan - To support the implementation of the National Voluntary Blood Services Program for blood safety and adequacy, the Aklan Blood Coordinating Council (ABCC) was formally organized.

Elected council president was Dr. Cynthia dela Cruz, Philippine Medical Association (PMA) governor for Western Visayas. Other officers elected in the executive board were vice president Dr. Emma Cortes, Provincial Health Officer II; secretary Melrose Lunn of Kalantiao Toastmasters Club; treasurer Boy Ryan Zabal, president of Aklan Press Club, Inc.; assistant secretary treasurer Dr. Beatriz Yasa-Diel of Aklan Medical Society; auditor Dr. Albert Marin of Dr. Rafael S. Tumbokon Memorial Hospital and public relations officer Chita Heap, president of Kool Earth.

ABCC also created the committees on education, donor recruitment, mobile blood donation and ways and means to implement the local blood donation program with the support of the civic clubs, business groups, non-government organizations, Philippine National Police, Aklan Medical Society, Philippine National Red Cross, Philippine Information Agency and Philippine Army.

The blood council, according to ABCC president dela Cruz, will soon finalize the plans and strategies to effectively implement its objectives under Republic Act No. 7719 or otherwise known as National Blood Services Act of 1994.

The council is also tasked to organize mobile blood donations in coordination with the Regional Blood Center and authorized Blood Collection Units, to coordinate with local hospitals and other health services into a functional and efficient network, and to assist the local blood services network in public education and donor recruitment.

With this development, dela Cruz also urged volunteers to donate blood, especially of the alarming cases of dengue in the province and to ensure enough supply of blood in the local Red Cross.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Red Cross Aklan is conducting blood-letting activities this August in Kalibo and on September in the towns of Ibajay and Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan.