Red Cross President sees the need in the Dominican Republic to create a voluntary and altruistic culture of blood donation; only 2% are donors

Santo Domingo.- Doctor Miguel Sanz Flores, president of the Dominican Red Cross, raised the need for the Dominican Republic to strengthen the voluntary and altruistic culture of blood donation because only 2% of the country's population is a donor. The specialist explained that the donation levels recommended by the World Health Organization establish from 5% to 20% donation and that the country is far below these figures. "According to data from the Ministry of Public Health, we do not reach 2% despite the government's efforts," he affirmed.

Sanz Flores lamented that in the country, most people only consider donating blood when a family member or close acquaintance faces an emergency, which shows the absence of a preventive culture in this area. “The vast majority of people only think about blood when a close emergency arises”, the doctor expressed.

He indicated that this reality limits the response capacity of the health system, especially in the face of high-demand situations such as traffic accidents or surgical interventions.

The official revealed that the Dominican Red Cross in general receives around 2,000 blood requests daily, while at the main headquarters located in the Miraflores sector, requests reach 200.

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Faced with this situation, he reported that the institution has intensified educational sessions in schools, communities, and the business sector. "We are giving talks to high school graduates and companies, so they learn the importance of blood donation and create that culture, so they see it for what it is, a voluntary and altruistic act," he said. Sanz Flores explained that before donating, each person undergoes a rigorous medical evaluation. "First, a medical history is taken, then a blood count, and then a screening to rule out diseases such as hepatitis or HIV," he detailed. These statements were offered on the program TIEMPO DE NOTICIAS, which is produced and hosted by journalist Luis Brito and broadcast on the digital platform El Nuevo Diario TV.