2024-03-15 00:09:07
As of today, the permanent blood donation point in the center of Ioannina has become a reality, which for years was a request for the blood donation services of the two hospitals, but also for the organizations and associations that promote voluntary blood donation.
The permanent blood donation point is located on the ground floor, provided by the Municipality of Ioannina at 6 Averof Street, and will operate every Thursday, from 10 am to 3 pm, under the responsibility of the blood donation services of the University Hospital of Ioannina and the Hatzikosta Hospital » and with the support of volunteers from the Hellenic Red Cross, the open volunteer group of Paguristas and KETHEA Epirus.
The space is ideal for carrying out blood donations, which doctors and nurses found out on the first day of its operation, however, the big bet is to consolidate its function in the citizens’ consciousness, which will also be helped by its external configuration in the following period .
“The request for a permanent place for voluntary blood donation in the heart of the city has been a perennial request for decades and it has been our primary concern to implement it, as a new municipal authority, as we did within a few weeks of assuming our duties. It is another example of the social policy that we will follow as a Municipality, another example that we will try to find solutions and support our hospitals, our associations, our fellow human beings, patients and people in need”, he said characteristically in press conference the deputy mayor of Social Solidarity – Protection Sofia Markoula, adding that finding a space was a very important political decision, because this space was being used, and the workers had to be “exposed” so that it could change its shape and turn into a stable blood donation point. Mrs. Markoula added that everyone’s efforts must be intensified to raise the awareness of citizens, in order to include voluntary blood donation in their lives. “I believe that the presence of the Municipality’s blood donation point in the center of the city will contribute the most to the awareness of our fellow citizens and to the increase in the collection of blood units”, he added, committing the Municipality and the deputy mayor’s office for which it is responsible, to be helper and permanent supporter in every act and action of social solidarity.
The director of the Blood Donation Department of the University Hospital of Ioannina, Eleftheria Zervos, spoke for a day of joy, representing the Blood Donation Department of “Hatzikosta”, noting that the local government can contribute to the spread of blood donation, but also to the facilitation of blood donation services. “Our vision is, if there is a great response, that this space will operate for more days. Everything that had to be done from the side of the Municipality, from the side of the clubs, from the side of the two hospitals, has been done. Now it remains for all citizens to embrace this institution. There is no excuse and it remains to be seen the results. I am very optimistic that this project will succeed”, she noted, among other things, thanking everyone who cooperated and expressing her pleasant surprise at the speed with which the current municipal authority moved.
For his part, the president of the Ioannina Regional Department of the Hellenic Red Cross, Costas Dakaletsis, spoke of the strength of the collaboration, referring to the beginning of the whole effort three years ago. “Now is the time when we must all put our backs together to make blood donation in Ioannina become self-sufficient. Now we start, springboarding the fixed point of blood donation, and now we have to do a lot of work. And based on the fixed point, we can invite schools to see the blood donation, and do other events with parallel actions”, he underlined, also noting the speed of response of the current municipal authority.
Apostolis Tzeletas expressed his joy at the completion of the project on behalf of the volunteer group of Paguristas, setting two more parameters. Having a fixed point in the city center can also act as a reminder for citizens, he said, and it can and should be used by clubs, professional groups and others to organize their own blood drives.
“A dream of years, a request of more than a decade, is finally coming true and we are very happy. It is a functional space, a comfortable space, which meets all the requirements. We are all together in this effort”, stressed the member of the Board of Directors. of the Panhellenic Federation of Voluntary Blood Donor Associations (OSEA) Christos Ioannidis, speaking of a special day for all volunteer blood donors.
On behalf of the Hellenic Thalassemia Federation, Leonidas Roubatis also spoke of a day of joy and emotion, stressing that the goal is blood sufficiency, while Giorgos Mavromatis from KETHEA Epirus also expressed his joy. “Broader health promotion is a powerful tool for dealing with and preventing addictions. We can also organize other health information actions in the area and continue to promote volunteerism”, he said.