Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna is appealing for blood donations to help those in need but financially displaced.

Lacuna said that the Sta. Ana Hospital headed by Dr. Grace Padilla, is currently conducting a blood donation drive for its state-of-the-art blood bank which is there to meet the demand for blood transfusions and support patients in need.

Lacuna, also a doctor, said the SAH blood bank which is located in a two-storey building on the said hospital’s grounds, is there to solve the daily problem of the city as to where to source blood for their poor patients, particularly those who have undergone operation or delivery, or have certain conditions that require blood such as anemia.

The blood bank, she said, is there to provide Manila’s patients with a safe source of blood, in line with the blood program of the Department of Health and the city’s emergency preparedness as well.

However, the mayor added, it will not be useful without blood donations coming in.

Without the blood bank, it was learned that even if a resident has a certificate of indigency, he will still have to spend P1,200 for a bag of blood which, most of the time, is not even readily available.

Lacuna thus appealed to the public, Manila resident or not, to donate blood as their help will go a long way to help those who are sick and in need of blood.

Padilla, for her part, said that by “having an in-house blood bank, the hospital ensures immediate access to a safe and adequate supply of blood products, which is vital for emergencies, surgeries, and the treatment of various medical conditions. meet the demand for blood transfusions and support patients in need.”

According to Padilla, the blood donors must be in good health, aged 18 to 60, weigh at least 110 lbs or 50kg, have had enough sleep (minimum of five hours), and no alcohol intake for 24 hours. Travel, piercing, medication will be assessed and donors are also advised not to take any fatty foods prior to donation.