Lapu-Lapu City residents donate blood for COVID-19 patients

The Lapu-Lapu City government held a blood donation drive Thursday, July 16, in coordination with the Department of Health, at the Hoops Dome in Barangay Gun-ob as part of its assistance to COVID-19 patients.

Lapu-Lapu City residents flocked Hoops Dome Thursday, along with COVID survivors, to donate blood. By noon, more than a hundred bags were collected.

Aside for the local government, the bloodletting drive was also supported by the DOH 7 (Central Visayas), OPAV (Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas), and the Philippine Red Cross Lapu-Lapu City Chapter Medical Team.

It was scheduled to be from 8 am until 3 pm, but by noon, 130 bags of blood were already collected.

COVID-19 survivor and Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan was the first to give his plasma in the donation drive.

“We are doing this because we saw that our fellowmen need it [plasma] to recover,” said Chan in Cebuano.

Another COVID-19 survivor, Lapu-Lapu city councilor Janvi Dela Serna also donated his blood.

The mayor called the COVID-19 survivors as “COVID Heroes” whose job was to donate blood for other patients to recover.

Chan said the blood donation drive was also in preparation for the onset of dengue.

“We are also preparing because it’s already the rainy season. We’re expecting dengue cases to arrive during the season,” the mayor added.

Arnulfo Abing, who was with City’s Clean and Green and was also COVID-19 Hero, there at least 80 virus survivors from different barangays who committed to donate their blood.

Councilor Janvi will be filing a resolution, strongly urging COVID Heroes, especially those who spent time in the City’s isolation centers, to donate their blood. – Rappler.com