San Pascual Masbate links with the
Zone A Blood Services Network
Lea O. Arevalo, R.N.

When typhoon “Reming” hit the Bicol region, many of our kababayans were affected; homes were devastated, agriculture was tremendously affected, and mortality rates have increased. Amidst the devastation, Honorable Mayor Zacarina Lazaro did not lose hope, she visited the Bicol Medical Center particularly the Blood Bank and Transfusion Service to reach out, serve her constituents especially to patients who has undergone blood transfusion. She initiated to link the municipality of San Pascual, Masbate with the Blood Services Network Program of the Department of Health. It features one of the strategic ways of creating awareness, maintaining donor recall and providing assistance to patients through Blood Services Network. Initially, during the time of Dr. Gerardo Bayugo as Regional Director, the Blood Program of Bicol was divided into two zones; the provinces of Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte and Catanduanes under Zone A, and for Zone B the provinces of Albay, Masbate and Sorsogon. Despite of being a member of Zone B, San Pascual  Masbate joined Zone A due to its easy   accessibility to the Bicol Medical Center through the Pasacao route.

Through the invitation of the Municipality of San Pascual, Masbate headed by Mayor Zacarina Lazaro, Vice Mayor Jojo Rivera and Kagawad Boboy Dela Peña, the Blood Bank staff made an effort to travel and  conduct advocacy campaigns and mobile blood donation activities. The first advocacy and Mobile Blood Donation was held at the church of San Pascual which happened to be Valentines Day, February 14, 2008. The second MBD and advocacy were done at Barangay San Rafael, San Pascual and the most recent was on October 30, 2008 and collected more 30 units of blood.

Vice Mayor Rivera, upon consultation with the Blood Bank Head Dr. Raymundo Ibarrientos planned the strategic distribution of Mobile Blood Donation activities to the different location and distant barangays covering the municipality of San Pascual and Burias islands. This is to strengthen awareness and instil active participation of the constituency, thus utilizing the barangay officials and health workers on advocacy and donor recruitment.