AS the Department of Health (DOH) prepares to declare a dengue outbreak, the Philippine Red Cross renewed its call for the public to donate blood.
In a statement, PRC secretary general Gwen Pang said it is important to have adequate blood supply as the country combats the mosquito-borne disease, “especially with a looming dengue outbreak.”
“We encourage everyone to make blood donation your lifestyle as it is not just good for one’s health but can also save lives,” she added.
Pang said would-be donors can go to any of the PRC’s 108 blood service facilities, 32 blood centers, 76 blood collecting stations, and 15 apheresis centers nationwide.
The PRC said it has provided 3,038 blood units to 974 dengue patients in just the first six months of this year.
PRC chairman Richard Gordon said the agency “is ready to supply blood to support the patients and to help the nation combat the fatal disease.”
On Monday, the Department of Health (DOH) said it is set to declare a dengue outbreak owing to the surge in cases of the mosquito-borne disease.
Data shows there have been 136,161 dengue cases reported from January 1 to August 3, which is 33 percent higher compared to the 102,374 cases recorded during the same period last year.
Fifteen of the 17 regions in the country were found to have increasing numbers of dengue cases. The two regions without increasing dengue cases are Zamboanga Peninsula and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
