Octavio De la Concepción de la Pedraja Pediatric Hospital in Holguín has denied allegations of a platelet shortage in its Oncology ward. The statement from the hospital responds to the case of a young Cuban girl with cancer urgently needing A+ blood donations, an issue highlighted on Facebook by Cuban citizen Idelisa Diasniurka Salcedo Verdecia.
The hospital's statement begins by addressing Salcedo Verdecia's post. "In the last 24 hours, on the Facebook profile of 'Idelisa Diasniurka Salcedo Verdecia,' a situation has been reported regarding the availability of blood donations for children at the Octavio De la Concepción de la Pedraja Pediatric Hospital in Holguín. Specifically, A+ donors are being sought to extract platelets for young Emily Elianis Remón Silot, who is admitted to ward 3G of oncohematology," the statement reads.
Three-year-old Emily, from the province of Granma, has a possible diagnosis of Neuroblastoma. "She was admitted on February 14, 2024, to the Pediatric Surgery service, where the diagnosis was confirmed on March 6, 2024, and she was subsequently transferred to the oncohematology ward to begin treatment," the hospital continued.
The hospital also noted that they had spoken with Emily's mother, who expressed her gratitude for the medical and nursing team's care. The mother reportedly mentioned that there are two other patients in the ward with the same need for platelets and that, with her consent, one of her donations was used for another patient. "However, at no point have the donations made in her daughter's name been lost, nor has her treatment been interrupted."
They summarized Emily's health status as good, indicating that "she has been transfused with platelets on several occasions without difficulty. There is a guarantee for the continuity of her treatment and the availability of platelets if needed."
In her Facebook post, Salcedo Verdecia stated that Emily "is a little girl fighting cancer, undergoing chemotherapy, and approximately three days ago, she began experiencing an ocular hemorrhage due to her body's deterioration." She emphasized the urgent need for platelet extraction for Emily, noting a lack of sufficient blood at the hospital. "Her treatment was started, but her platelets and leukocytes are unstable and frequently drop," Salcedo wrote.
Salcedo also pointed out that "blood donations have been lost, which is why the girl remains in a critical condition, and now more donations are needed."
Clarifying the Platelet Shortage Controversy in Holguín's Pediatric Hospital
Here, we address some frequently asked questions about the reported platelet shortage in Holguín's Pediatric Hospital and the case of Emily Elianis Remón Silot.
What prompted the hospital's statement?
The hospital's statement was prompted by a Facebook post from Idelisa Diasniurka Salcedo Verdecia, highlighting the urgent need for A+ blood donations for a young cancer patient, Emily Elianis Remón Silot.
What is Emily Elianis Remón Silot's medical condition?
Emily Elianis Remón Silot, a three-year-old girl from Granma, has a possible diagnosis of Neuroblastoma and is undergoing treatment in the oncohematology ward of the Holguín Pediatric Hospital.
Has there been any loss of blood donations made for Emily?
According to the hospital, no donations made in Emily's name have been lost, and her treatment has not been interrupted.