The Catholic Church-backed “Dugo Ko, Kinabuhi Mo” bloodletting program of the Diocese of Dumaguete, that includes majority of the towns and cities of Negros Oriental, and the province of Siquijor, needs to reach out to as many donors as it can, Fr. Antonio Arnaiz, chaplain of the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital, said yesterday.

Arnaiz called on the public to support the program that is available to patients in need of blood at hospitals, like the Holy Child Hospital and the Silliman University Medical Center, and others.

The program was initiated by the Divine Mercy Chaplaincy of NOPH in December 2009, with the approval of the Diocese of Dumaguete, then headed by now Archbishop John Du, of Palo, Leyte, and the provincial hospital.

In the program, parishes under the Dumaguete Diocese are asked to hold a once-a-year bloodletting activity. Arnaiz commended the Magsaysay Parish in Dauin town, that embarks on three to four bloodletting each year due to the high number of donors.

The program offers free blood screening, blood typing and hemoglobin check for potential donors. The obligation of the person who wants to avail of blood under the program is for him or her to bring a replacement donor, Arnaiz said. Any blood type to trade in for the one withdrawn will do, he added.

Yesterday, 11 of the 18 walk-in donors at the bloodletting held at the Marian Priests Center were able to donate blood.

Arnaiz said a similar activity is scheduled in July in Tanjay City, and at the Philippine National Police Provincial Office in Agan-an, Sibulan town.*JFP

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