Marawi City hospital seeks blood donations for dengue patients
ILIGAN CITY – The Amai Pakpak Medical Center (APMC) in Marawi City has asked for blood donations to beef up its capacity to respond to the needs of dengue patients from Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur provinces.
Dr. Shalimar Rakiin, APMC chief, said the needed blood supply is primarily for dengue patients confined at their facility.
So far, the APMC has gathered 124 bags of blood containing 450 cc each in two bloodletting drives, one in Pantao-Ragat, Lanao del Norte on July 29, and another in Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur on July 31.
As of July 31, 58 dengue patients were confined at the APMC, two of whom have died, Rakiin disclosed.
Of the 58, 20 were from Marawi City, 32 from various Lanao del Sur towns, and six from nearby towns of Lanao del Norte.
Rakiin said the hospital is providing free blood supply to poor dengue patients needing a blood transfusion.
Earlier, Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Western Mindanao Command chief, has vowed to mobilize soldiers to donate blood for Marawi and Lanao del Sur dengue patients.
Meanwhile, the local government of Linamon, Lanao del Norte partnered with the barangay council of Buru-un, Iligan City to clear the mangrove palms or nipa along the Linamon river as these were identified as major breeding grounds of dengue-carrying mosquitoes.
Massive information and cleanup drives have been launched in Iligan City and Lanao del Norte to win the fight against dengue.
