Blood donors help save lives – Aklan Red Cross

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

To ensure that blood is available for patients, the Aklan Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) has appealed for more volunteer blood donors.

On average, the Aklan Red Cross is collecting 4,600 units of blood yearly from donors, the PNRC local administrator Arcely Pelayo said. 

She stressed the Aklan chapter needs 5,000 blood units on hand or about one percent of Aklan’s population.

“If those people who get blood from us when they need will bring their own blood donors to replenish the supply, (I think) we don’t have shortage of blood units in Aklan,” Pelayo said.

As of now, the Aklan Red Cross as a blood collecting unit, has enough supply of lifesaving blood, regardless of blood types, for patients in need.

Blood is available especially for victims of serious accidents or major surgery who often need more units of blood at a time.

Pelayo said Aklan Red Cross, government agencies and private institutions are also conducting regular blood-letting activities for an adequate supply of blood and its components.

  

People willing to donate blood in the coming days or weeks can visit the Aklan Red Cross at F. Quimpo Street in Kalibo, Aklan.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Red Cross is working on to upgrade the local chapter as blood bank, which could process each unit of whole blood into several components – plasma, platelets and red blood cells.