DILI, 18 february 2022 (TATOLI) – More than 25 volunteers from Timor-Leste Religious Tourism Association (ATR-TL), today, donated blood to the National Blood Bank (NBB), in order to support dengue patients who desperately required blood transfusion at the National Guido Valadares Hospital (HNGV).
The Coordinator of ATR-TL, Glenda de Carvalho, said that numerous patients with dengue were admitted to hospitals, saying many need blood transfusions.
“We, therefore, came up with this solidarity action to support patients with dengue who desperately need blood transfusions. Unfortunately, insufficient blood availability at the National Blood Bank worried many patients. We have many volunteers today who want to donate blood and this blood donation would help to save the lives of many patients. So, 25 of them have already donated their blood,” Carvalho told Tatoli, in Vila Verde, Dili.
Carvalho said ATR-TL was committed to donating blood to hospitals every four months.
She said ATR-TL will continue working in partnership with the Guido Valadares National Hospital (HNGV) and Timor-Leste Red Cross (CVTL) to keep up the initiative of mobilizing more people to donate blood to the National Blood Bank.
Thomas Adelino, the Head of the National Blood Bank Unit said that blood donation was important to save the lives of many people.
“Timor-Leste registered an increase in the number of dengue cases and these patients desperately need blood transfusions,” He explained.
Adelino said that blood supply is currently insufficient at the National Blood Bank, adding, therefore, hundreds of blood units are required to respond to the needs of the patients at the National Hospital.
“Blood donors must be healthy and weigh over 60 kilograms,” he said.
In addition, Adelino informed that more than 60 volunteers at SOLS in Becora have already given their contribution by donating blood to the National Blood Banks.
“We also had 50 or 60 volunteers from a group of Filipinos and 30 of Telemor’s employees who donated blood to National Blood Bank in Timor Plaza,” he added.
According to official data of the Ministry of Health, Timor-Leste has so far recorded 2.203 cases of dengue and 30 fatalities since the beginning of january 2022.
Related news:Dengue infections Top 288, death Toll raise to five
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Rafy Belo
