Holy Sunday.- At some point life can change in the blink of an eye... more and more people depend on a transfusion to save their lives, which represents a race against time, no donors, no blood available in banksAccidents, surgeries, and serious illnesses depend on something as simple, yet so rare in our country, as donating blood.
In Dominican Republic, The culture of voluntary donation is practically non-existent. While the World Health Organization (OMS) recommends that at least the 5% of the population be a donor to ensure a stable supply, here we barely reach the 1%.
The director of the National Network of Blood Banks of the Dominican Red Cross, Dr. César Matos Moronta, states that although there are active donation campaigns throughout the year, most of the blood processed comes from "replacement and not voluntary donation."
Every time someone needs a transfusion, their family faces a agonizing race against timeFinding donors, paying for expensive tests, and waiting for them to be available at the hospital is a process that, in many cases, puts patients' lives at risk.
Despite the high demand for blood, the country remains almost entirely dependent on the replacement donationThis means that, in emergency situations, family members must mobilize desperately to find donors.
In addition, the screening process, which ensures the safety of the blood, has a high cost, which for the moment is only covered by the National Health Insurance (SeNaSa), which represents an additional obstacle for those who need it and leaves thousands of people without access to safe blood.
According to Dr. Matos, Meetings have been held with various agencies within the Social Security System to analyze the possibility of including blood in the coverage of the Health Risk Administrators (ARS). However, an agreement has not yet been reached, which continues to affect patients who need it, he emphasized.
The Dominican Red Cross It plays a fundamental role in the country's blood supply and accounts for approximately more than 50% of the country's blood reserve.
Health experts insist on the urgent need for reform in it Dominican health system to include the Blood screening within the coverage of the Dominican Social Security PlanWithout this measure, many patients will continue to expose their lives to unnecessary risks.
The lack of public policies and limited health insurance coverage force thousands of Dominicans to rely on the goodwill of others to survive.
"Access to safe blood should not be a privilege, but a guaranteed right for all." The director of the National Network of Blood Banks of the Dominican Red Cross stated:
What actually happens to each bag of blood after donating?
To understand the importance of the process, we take a tour of the National Network of Blood Banks of the Dominican Red Cross.
It all starts with a voluntary donor, whose generosity makes a difference. Before the extraction, doctors perform an evaluation to ensure the person is in optimal condition to donate. If everything is in order, the blood is extracted. 450 ml of blood, an amount sufficient to save up to three lives.
After donation, the blood undergoes strict testing to rule out diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B and C, and syphilis. It is then separated into its essential components: red blood cells, plasma, and platelets, each with specific uses in medical treatments.
He Blood Bank of the Red Cross It is the largest in the country and distributes units to public and private hospitals, especially in emergencies such as accidents, surgeries and complicated births.
Despite high demand, the Voluntary donation culture remains lowAccording to the Red Cross, the 99% of donations In the country they are carried out for replacement, that is, when a family member or friend urgently needs blood.
To change this reality, it is essential that more people join the small percentage of voluntary donors. Every drop of donated blood is a hope for life.
