The National Cancer Institute (Inca), linked to the Ministry of Health, promotes from today (21) its traditional “Solidarity Block”. The objective is to draw the population’s attention to the drop in blood donations for cancer patients during the carnival festivities.
The pair of sponsors of the campaign, the dancer Carlinhos de Jesus and the first dancer of the Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro, Ana Botafogo, is helping with the dissemination on social networks. On the internet, the hashtag #FoliaéDoarSanguenoINCA was raised so that internet users can mobilize and make their donation. This year, the action will not have a parade in Praça da Cruz Vermelha, nor will it have the support of a samba school drums.
According to Inca, added to the traditional drop in donations during long holidays, the covid-19 pandemic further reduced the number of donors, in all periods. Since the beginning of the health outbreak, the Inca blood bank has suffered a 20% reduction in the number of donors.
To keep the supply comfortable, 70 bags of blood are needed a day. In the pre-pandemic period, Inca received between 50 and 60 donors daily. Today, the number is only 12 to 15 daily donors. Each donation is transformed into blood components capable of serving four patients. From 1,700 to 2,000 blood transfusions are performed per month, only in cancer patients undergoing treatment at Inca.
People diagnosed with or suspected of having covid-19 are able to donate blood ten days after symptoms disappear, according to guidelines from the Ministry of Health and the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa). The same period applies to asymptomatic patients with a positive test, who can also make the donation ten days after the test. Those who had contact with positive cases can donate after seven days of the last contact. People who have done voluntary isolation or by medical determination can perform the action ten days after the end of isolation.
Anyone wishing to donate should go to the Inca Hemotherapy Service, located at Praça da Cruz Vermelha, 23, second floor, downtown Rio, from Monday to Friday, from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm. The collection will take place at this time until the 25th. On Carnival Saturday (26th), only the donation of platelets will be received, with a scheduled time. There will be no collection on the 28th, nor on the 1st and 2nd of March. To make a donation, you must present a photo ID. Children under the age of 18 can only donate with the authorization of their guardian.
