The Río Grande Regional Hospital is in a situation of lack of blood stock, a problem that affects not only patients who require transfusions, but also poses a significant challenge for the community as a whole.
In exclusive statements for ((La 97)) Radio Fueguina, the head of the hospital’s Hemotherapy Service, Fausto Suárez, highlighted the seriousness of the situation: «You cannot buy blood. We can only obtain it through voluntary or directed donations.”
Suárez indicated that donations have decreased considerably compared to previous months and years. This decrease in the ability to receive donations occurs in a context of growing demand, since the population of Río Grande has increased and, with it, medical needs.
“What we had in previous months or previous years has decreased considerably and it is also seen that the city of Río Grande has grown considerably in its population and in the requirement for units,” explained the specialist. The number of patients has also increased, so there are two things, two facts that if we do not compensate by obtaining these blood components, these donations, it becomes very difficult to sustain the needs of the patients with the population.”
The lack of donations is not a problem isolated to the hospital; It is a situation that concerns the entire society. According to Suárez, the community and local companies have shown a good willingness to collaborate on this challenge. “We have the support of institutions like CEMEP and the Sanatorio Fueguino, which also have similar needs and we help each other,” he commented.
The hospital has implemented various strategies to encourage donations, such as the “Donor Club,” which allows first-time blood donors to register to be contacted in the future. “This makes it easier to organize donations more efficiently,” Suárez explained. However, he also stressed the importance of donations being voluntary and altruistic. “We want people to feel the desire to help, not because of a call for service.”
Faced with the current shortage, the efforts of the hospital’s interdisciplinary team are intensified through personalized calls to regular donors, creating a system that activates the community’s commitment to donation. The key is to educate and raise awareness among the population about the importance of donating blood regularly.
The head of the Hemotherapy Service made an urgent call to citizens to come forward and collaborate: “We need more donors. This action can not only save lives, but is also an essential act of solidarity.”
