DOH Region 8 sends donated blood to Metro Manila as supply dwindle in the capital

On Thursday, April 22, the Department of Health in Eastern Visayas sent 1,079 blood units to supplement the supply in the National Capital Region (NCR).

According to the DOH, the blood supply in Metro Manila is being depleted due to an increase in Covid-19 cases and movement restrictions, which are stopping donation drives from taking place. According to DOH regional director Exuperia Sabalberino, stocks at the Philippine Blood Center in Quezon City, the government’s blood bank, are at a critical level.

As a result, the state-run Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC) has stepped up its blood donation drive, which led to the collection 1,079 blood units in March

“This is very significant because we are also sending part of ourselves. We sent one thousand units of blood to Luzon. This feels like we are already sending part of ourselves to Luzon more than sending our volunteers,” Sabalberino said.

This is the first time the EVRMC has sent blood units to Metro Manila to assist patients admitted to various hospitals that need transfusions.

The DOH Region 8 recently dispatched additional nurses to the NCR to assist in the growing number of Covid-19 patients. The 11-nurse squad will be on service at the Philippine Heart Center until June 21 of this year.

This is the region’s second batch of healthcare personnel to be deployed to NCR.