Dili, 09 May 2026 (Media Democracia) – Commemorating World Red Cross Day, the Red Cross of Timor-Leste (CVTL) worked together with the Red Crescent and the Blood Bank at Guido Valadares National Hospital to donate blood to help save patients currently undergoing treatment at the hospital.
CVTL Vice President Marçal Freitas Mango said, “Today the Red zqQ ZAAACross of Timor-Leste (CVTL), working together with the Red Crescent, commemorates International Red Cross Day, which falls every year on May 8 since 1928. That’s why the Red Cross of Timor-Leste is cooperating with the Blood Bank at Guido Valadares National Hospital to donate blood to save patients who are currently admitted to the hospital.”
“So today, in 198 countries around the world, we celebrate this as International Red Cross Day. For all of us, it is a day that we commemorate in Timor-Leste to remember how we serve people in society and communities at the grassroots level, regarding the suffering at the grassroots.” CVTL Vice President Marçal Freitas Mango told journalists at the CVTL Hall, Formosa, Friday (08/05).
He said this especially applies when accidents and disasters occur, and how the Red Cross of Timor-Leste can provide first aid response to such situations.
“Especially for accidents, landslides, strong winds related to disasters, and for community services that need the Red Cross’s help to provide first aid support to them.” he said.
Therefore, today the Red Cross of Timor-Leste also worked together with the Blood Bank at Guido Valadares National Hospital to conduct a blood donation.
“We are cooperating with the Blood Bank, and the Blood Bank conducts outreach on their activities regarding how to collect blood. In Timor, we need a lot of blood but we give little blood, because sometimes our family members who are in the hospital urgently call CVTL, saying ‘sir, we need blood,’ but families are afraid to come donate blood.” he informed.
Because many families think that when they donate blood, their blood will decrease, and some say they might gain weight instead. But the program of the Red Cross of Timor-Leste with the Blood Bank is:
“If we give one drop of blood to a person, we save one person’s life, but if we don’t give blood to someone, one person loses their life.” he informed.
In the same place, Head of the Blood Bank Department at Guido Valadares National Hospital, Alexandrino Mendonca, informed that the objective of this blood donation is to commemorate World International Red Cross Day, as their theme says, to save lives.
“Blood donation is part of saving lives and this is very important. Just imagine, when a person is bleeding and there is no blood to save them, then they could lose their life. So the vision that CVTL has put forward aligns with the blood donation activity they are carrying out he.” said Head of the Blood Bank Department at Guido Valadares National Hospital, Alexandrino Mendonca.
He said the blood stock currently at the Blood Bank is stored to provide services minute by minute, hour by hour, and day by day, but when blood goes out, more must come in.
“The total blood that this morning the team reported to us is registered at 81 units: blood type A 22, blood type B 20, blood type AB 15, and blood type O 24. This is what we currently store there to provide services for patients who need it.” he said.
He explained that blood is not permanently at this amount because it depends on the needs of doctors who request it from the Blood Bank.
“If patients need a lot of blood, then a lot must also go out, but families and volunteers must continue to come and donate blood to ensure that the blood stock in the Blood Bank is always available to serve and save patients admitted to Guido Valadares National Hospital.” he explained.
He informed that according to data from the Blood Bank, every day the Blood Bank always provides 40 bags of blood to the wards at Guido Valadares National Hospital.
“And the blood that we in Timor need most is type O, followed by A, then B, and lastly AB. The blood type that is difficult for us to get is the negative Rhesus type. Mostly, foreigners have three negative Rhesus blood types, which most of us in Timor do not have. In Timor, most Rhesus types are positive. But we can have blood types A, B, AB, and O those are all our blood types, but when it comes to Rhesus, we are different from others.” he concluded.
Meanwhile, according to available data, 30 volunteers from the Red Cross of Timor-Leste donated blood to commemorate the 198th World International Red Cross Day globally.
Reporter: Tomás dos Santos
Photographer: Tomás dos Santos