The Philippine Nurses Association- Basilan Chapter conducted a blood-letting activity on March 10 as part of the International Women’s Day celebration.
PNA-Basilan Chapter President Maria Theresa Reynon Sakkalahul, Basilan General Hospital Team, and Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Basilan led the activities in Akbar and Hadji Mohammad Ajul towns.
In Hadji Mohammad Ajul town, 15 people donated their blood.
First-time blood donor Rhayam Hallil said that she wanted to save lives and show support for women. “It is a happy feeling to be able to help even in a small way,” Hallil said.
“Our advocacy is to help women. Most of our recipients are women who gave birth, suffer from anemia, and cancer patients,” Sakkalahul said.
Sakkalahul added that donated blood will be taken to Basilan General Hospital and Lamitan Hospital.
Sakkalahul also urges Basilan Island residents to donate blood as it is not only the communities that will benefit from donated blood but also the donors.
“When we donate blood, we will feel younger and better,” Sakkalahul said.
Data from the PRC from January 1 to June 26, 2022 showed that the PRC Blood Services served 110,215 patients. It collected 166,266 blood units from 155,997 donors and dispensed 191,696 blood units for the same period.