With the knowledge that blood donations constitute the only source to obtain blood components and its blood products, indispensable to save lives daily. Began in Holguin the day of the voluntary blood donor. In this northeastern territory where it is estimated that there are about 14 thousand 550 donors.
Dr. María Eugenia Castro Batista, director of the Provincial Blood Bank (BPS), explained about the particularities of this day, which has the slogan “Donate blood, donate hope, together we save lives”, “the day begins this June 6th and lasts until June 14th, but since previous dates through the media we have been informing about the subject so that the population is kept updated about the different events to be developed.
In addition to life stories of donors, plasma donors, we reflect the work history of experienced workers. We have planned an interview with a specialist in Hematology to clarify doubts related to being a blood recipient and donate blood, because there are some erroneous criteria that attempt against voluntary donations”.
“We are currently visiting higher education centers to add young people to the volunteer donor program, who would be our main pool. We are working with some companies that have provided us with important voluntary donations to meet the demand of the assistance life.
We congratulate the groups and we are working to attract donors to incorporate those who meet the requirements to the program of special plasma donors. The latter must be between the ranges of O negative and positive groups to try to look for immunogens. Which will help us to sensitize the O negative and improve the program”.
The National Blood Program as part of the healthcare system has the mission to ensure the supply of safe and adequate blood and blood components.
Regarding the value of the donations obtained, the specialist in General Comprehensive Medicine (MGI) explains that “this program helps the country in terms of the production of some medicines and reagents.
In this way, we are able to meet the different demands. Whether it is for the Maternal and Infant Care Program (PAMI), emergencies, serious cases, bleeding in Oncology, Hematology and other specialties that require achieving the metabolic stability of each of the patients”.
Although Holguin province has achieved 90 percent compliance with the donation plan this year. It is not enough to meet the demand from hospitals and the biopharmaceutical industry.
In that sense, Castro points out that to date we have achieved, up to April of this year, 5,340 donations and although this translates into 90 percent of compliance, “it is still not what we need. We are looking for voluntary donations, which will always be available at any time to meet the assistance needs of our secondary institutions”.
Referring to the way in which the provincial event was organized on the occasion of the date, the director of the BPS emphasized that the municipality of Frank País was Vanguard. While Banes and Holguin were Highlights. For the event 33 donors, three health areas of the municipality of Holguin and 12 companies that contributed to these results of voluntary donations are invited, she concluded.
On June 6th, 1970 Fidel Castro was the first blood donor to help the victims of the earthquake that days before hit Peru. Thus Cuba became the first country to provide this component with more than 104,594 donations.
The blood used to assist accident victims or those suffering from a disease that requires this component is only obtained thanks to the solidarity and altruism of those who extend their arm to donate. No one knows if tomorrow you or I or any of us may need a donation because the most valuable thing depends on it, our life.
Translated by Aliani Rojas Fernandez
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