MANILA, Philippines - To encourage the public to become blood donors amid rising dengue cases and other illnesses requiring blood transfusion, the Quezon City (QC) health department said yesterday it will set up blood donation booths in shopping malls.
City health officer Dr. Antonieta Inumerable said they are coordinating with the different malls, including SM North Edsa, SM Cubao, SM Fairview, Trinoma and the Ever Gotesco mall, for the setting up of these blood donation booths.
She said the expanded bloodletting drive is expected to benefit the Philippine Blood Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, Philippine Heart Center, St. Luke’s Medical Center, Quezon City General Hospital and the Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Project 4, which have registered the most number of confinement for dengue cases.
The city health department regularly conducts bloodletting activities at the city hall and district health centers.
On orders of Mayor Herbert Bautista, the QC health department is also conducting massive anti-dengue information dissemination campaign to encourage city residents to join in the anti-dengue drive.
The information campaign underscores the importance of maintaining cleanliness and sanitation in reducing the number of potential breeding grounds of dengue-carrying mosquitoes, which usually thrives on stagnant water in old tires, roof gutters, refrigerator drainers and indoor plants.
The Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit of the city health department reported about 3,948 dengue cases, with 29 death cases from Aug. 1 to 20. This year’s cases registered over a hundred percent increase compared to the same period last year.
Barangays registering the most number of dengue cases are Bagbag, San Bartolome, Commonwealth, Batasan Hills, Gulod, Holy Spirit, Sauyo, Sta. Monica and Novaliches proper.
The city health department has declared the areas of Bagbag, San Bartolome, Novaliches proper in District II, and Barangays Pansol and Matandang Balara in District III and Barangay Bahay-Toro in District I, as dengue hotspots.