American Expatriate Costa Rica

2,750 blood donors needed for March

Almost three thousand blood donors will be needed in March to serve hundreds of patients with blood diseases, cancer and traumas in different parts of the body due to traffic and labor accidents.

Melissa Zapata, director of the National Blood Bank, explained they about 33 thousand donors a year to meet the demand of this vital tissue in all institutional hospitals.

The official explained that the ideal is to increase the number of permanent donors to reduce the risk of shortages in Easter, school breaks and the end and beginning of the year. The woman reminds that a single person can donate three or four times a year.

Every day, donors are received at the Blood Bank headquarters in Zapote, located on the southern side of the Catholic Church, from Monday to Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:20 p.m., Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. until noon.

Mexico, Calderón Guardia, San Juan de Dios and Children’s National Hospitals are medical centers that need large amounts of blood because of the complexity of the procedures they perform.

The conditions to be a blood donor are:

-Being between 18 and the 60 years old.
-Weighing more than 50 kilos.
-Having a light breakfast (no fatty or dairy products such as cheese, margarine, butter, custard, or sausages).
-Drinking plenty of fluids.
-Bringing your identity card or residence card.
-Being healthy.

On Sunday, March 12th, a donation campaign will be held in Comunidad Pas in Paso Ancho from 8:00 am until noon; and on March 26th the campaign will be held in Vida Abundante Church, in Belén, Bosques de Doña Rosa, from 8:00 a.m. until noon.

crhoy.com