Blood in Chiriqui Panama
Posted by Lee on October 26, 2009
Blood for transfusions is a massive issue in Panama. When people in Boquete Panama have needed blood for emergencies or surgery obtaining blood has been a mission of life or death. The Red Cross has been in Panama since 1917 and at least those of us who come from the US associate the Red Cross with blood and blood banking, not so in Panama.
Still the Panama Red Cross in association with the International Red Cross Red Crescent are beginning to take a role in trying to support blood banking. According to Peter Finley, a twenty year volunteer with the Panama Red Cross, there are now three Hemocenters in Panama. These are located in Panama City, Chitre and David. These centers are operated by MINSA the Ministry of Health. The David Center is currently and temporarily located in Hospital Chiriqui and will be moved to the Regional Hospital when it renovates its facility. The Hemocenters have limited blood supplies and in an emergency will allocate blood to any need. The blood needs to be replaced and inventory built. Blood is a problem in all of the developing world, Panama included.
http://www.boqueteguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/PastedGraphic.pdf
According to Peter prior to 1989 Panama had an active Red Cross and culture of giving blood. That all disintegrated after the invasion. Now the Red Cross is rebuilding and a new chapter is opening in Boquete. The prior chapter closed 15 years ago under a dark cloud. The National Red Cross is starting a campaign called Club 25 to educate young people about the gift of blood.
Partial funding for this effort is coming from GHA, Global Humanitarian Adventures with the help of Boquete resident, Rob Pickett. I have never heard of GHA, and can find little about them online. This Facebook page seems to say more than most.
One of the major missions for the new Red Cross chapter will be encouraging the donations of blood. Panama has a 45 year old law regarding blood donations that excludes most people over 55 and anyone who travels out of the country. That means the resources for acceptable blood are younger locals who do not travel, do not have HIV and many other exclusions. The mission of the this new group is to encourage donations without compensation, a return to a prior era.
