Capitol Helps Save Lives, Davide Calls on Cebuanos to Give Blood
For Editha Briones, health is essential for ordinary working Filipinos, who day in and day out, strive to live and serve for their families.
A strong woman hailing from barangay Taloot in the municipality of Argao, 67-year old Editha was a registered midwife who worked hard and provided for her family’s needs as an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) for 18 years in Taiwan. Sadly, her days in service were suddenly cut short due to her health condition and on January of 2017, her life changed.
“Nakamatngon ko na pagkapkap nako, naa koy nabantayan na bugol (lump) sa akong tutoy,” Editha said as she narrated her experience. She said she tried to brush it aside, but the sharp pains she battled worsened until she was convinced by her fellow OFWs to have herself checked. In September 2017, she was diagnosed with a Phyllodes Tumor on her left breast.
Distraught on what to do, she breathed a sigh of relief when she knew that expenses for her mastectomy operation would be covered by the Office of the President (OP). However, fresh blood was needed to be transfused as part of the surgery process.
Uncertain of finding blood donors needed for her operation, Editha returned to the Philippines on December 2017. According to her son Warren, they struggled looking for blood donors since she arrived last December.
“Na-tagbaw gyud mi ug pinangita kung asa makakita ug dugo, dili pwede operahan si mama kung dili igo ang dugo na ipa-reserba sa iya,” said Warren as he narrated their family’s struggle.
Fortunately, the Cebu Provincial Government provided the solution.
Editha received four bags of fresh blood needed for her mastectomy.
The Cebu Provincial Hospitals (CPH) in Balamban town, and the cities of Bogo, Carcar and Danao readily cater accessible blood stations 24/7. Fresh supply of blood is available to all who wish to avail of the services.
As core agenda of Governor Hilario P. Davide III’s administration, health and social services are consistently being provided to all Cebuanos province-wide, through the programs of the Provincial Health Office (PHO).
As such, Briones became a beneficiary of the Capitol’s blood-services program which was launched in July 2017.
PHO head Dr. Rene Catan said that the overall need for blood in the Province is staggering that as much as possible the Capitol should be able to provide for patients in need of transfusion, especially during major operations.
“We are continuously improving on these services, especially on our blood program,” Catan said.
However, Catan added that fresh supplies would be easily exhausted without the constant batch of new donors. The PHO through the Cebu Provincial Blood Coordinating Council (CPBCC), prioritizes blood drives in order to meet the needs of beneficiaries.
Knowing the importance of donating blood, Gov. Davide himself donated blood for the program during the 5th Serbisyo Karaban held recently in CPH-Balamban. The governor said he makes sure he gets to donate twice a year and has been doing so for years now.
“Daghan ang matabangan sa inyong pag-donate ug dugo,” said Davide as he encourages others to also donate, not only to help those in need but also for one’s own health.
Donating blood has a number of health benefits, including lowering the risk of heart disease.
According to PHO’s CPBCC program coordinator Jason Dacua, it takes 120 days for the human body to process, dispose and replenish the blood circulating in our bloodstream. Waste blood is deposited and disposed in the spleen and excreted out of the body through bowel movement.
“I-encourage namu ang tanan, so long as healthy, na instead na mamatay ra ang dugo, ato ni siya i-donate,” said Dacua.
Each and every day, the provincial government strives to deliver much needed basic health services to Cebuanos across the province.
Today, Editha is recuperating well after her operation. Apart from blood, the Provincial Social Welfare Office (PSWDO) also provided free medicines and antibiotics for her post-surgery wounds.
“Dako kaayo ang akong pasalamat, labi na ni Gov. Junjun ug sa Capitol sa ilang tabang nako,” said Editha, grateful beyond words to the blood donors who helped save her life and how she has benefited from the health and social services and programs prioritized by Davide.
www.cebu.gov.ph
