Mis-information clogs 

Blood giving program 

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, February 9 (PIA)—Chances are, somebody has already told you he can’t donate because he has a tattoo, an ear piercing, has high blood pressure, and that he has a championship game the next day. 

These and still several more myths and mis-information form the lumps that have been clogging the arteries that allow the voluntary blood donation program to flow, according to the government’s blood donation sector. 

At the recent Kapihan sa PIA, Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital’s resident blood service facility authorities: Nestor Bompat and Nickson Felix Epe stressed on the importance of keeping sufficient blood units on storage in Bohol’s lead service facility. 

Blood is needed to save lives, man can’t survive without blood, both emphasized. 

As GCGMH is now becoming a 300-350 bed capacity hospital, medical authorities here have felt the dire need to store good quality blood units. 

At a population of 1.3 million in Bohol, studies have accordingly shown that a safe number of ready blood units is 1% of the general population. 

This means about 14,000 blood units in a year or about 36 good quality blood units should be available per day in Bohol. 

“Safety always comes from the donors, and that is why the government is not on to voluntary donations, because volunteers most often know and secure of their lifestyles,” Bompat cites. 

Now this becomes quite a challenge when the blood is not from a volunteer donor, explains Bompat, who added that commercial donors would readily lie about their lifestyle, if only to earn. 

That is why there is still a need to do blood screening even then, he continued. 

But the way to voluntary blood donation is blocked by clots of mis-information. 

Things like making low or high blood pressure as an excuse. 

Blood pressure means blood circulation, and no matter how fast of slow it circulates, it is still the same blood volume for all, according to authorities. 

“If you tend to have low blood pressure, it is fine to donate blood as long as you feel fine at the time of donation and your blood pressure is at least 100/60 (systolic/diastolic),” Bompat who is a medical technologist explained. 

If you have high blood pressure, it is fine to donate, as long as your blood pressure is not higher than 180/100, he added. 

It is okay, but just make sure he has his blood pressure maintained and as long as the doctor recommends the blood-letting to push through without prejudice to the safety of the donor, adds Epe who is a nurse. 

Medications for high blood pressure should also not prohibit you from donating, but you would still need to be informed in advance if you are not a suitable candidate. 

“For safety as well as for procedures, a donor can only donate approximately 500 cc of blood once in every three months,” GCGMH voluntary blood donation program coordinators said. 

Well, the donor however should be not below 50 kilos, healthy, over 18 but not more than 70, they reminded. 

Donors however who had been diagnosed with HIV, hepatitis B and C, those who had major operations, or had tuberculosis a year before being cured, those with new tattoos and ear piercings and those with clearly infected wounds may be temporarily or permanently deferred, as per advice by a competent physician. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)