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BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Saturday, February 11, 2017
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ILOILO – Municipalities appointed their respective “blood recruitment officers” to help in the Philippine Red Cross’ donation campaign.
The recruitment officers were charged to gather donors from the barangays.
“We believe this will encourage more donors in town-based donation activities,” said Dr. Dennis Roy Pasadilla, blood center manager for Red Cross-Iloilo.
The recruitment officers shall, among others, inform their town mates who are qualified to donate blood.
“Not everyone can donate blood. In some cases, 100 donors would turn up but only 40 can actually donate,” said Pasadilla. “Through the recruitment officers, the public may be better informed about the qualifications.”
Red Cross and the Philippine Blood Coordinating Council trained blood recruitment officers for three days. The training ended yesterday.
Only 20 towns sent their recruitment officers for the training, Pasadilla said.
Still “we were happy with how the training went,” he said. “We saw the lapses in the blood donation program. We discussed how to meet with donors, how to get them ready, among others.”
Red Cross will soon draft a framework on the blood donation program for the province. Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. will have to approve it before it can be distributed for the municipalities to follow, Pasadilla said.
Blood recruitment officers who missed training recently may be trained next year.
Capitol called on mayors to lead a blood donation program in their respective local governments.
Blood supply at Red Cross was limited due to lack of donors.
Some towns failed to attain the target — at least 1 percent of the total population should donate — said Provincial Administrator Raul Banias.
“Some towns have attained the target, but others do not participate at all,” Banias said.
In 2015 there were only 4,395 donors in the province, Red Cross data showed.
The number was way below the 19,441 target, which is 1 percent of the 1,944,123 total population of Iloilo.
League of Municipalities of the Philippines – Iloilo chapter president Jett Rojas vowed to check this matter with the mayors.
“We’ll bring this up in our regular monthly meeting,” said Rojas of Ajuy town. The League’s next meeting is on Feb. 24./PN
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