DOH's blood center struggles to obtain adequate, safe blood

CEBU, Philippines - The Sub-National Blood Center (SNBCV) of the Department of Health in Central Visayas is having a hard time obtaining adequate and safe blood supply.

According to Sub-National Blood Center chief Dr. Reynette Christine J. Ligaray, they need one percent to five percent of the community’s population to donate blood.

In Cebu, with the population of 4.2 million, one percent of the total population is equivalent to 42,000 units of blood.

Ligaray said that in the previous year, they only obtained less than one percent of blood supply. The SNBCV and the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) only acquired 16,000 to 17,000 units of blood.

She stressed that they find it difficult to obtain safe blood from donors because of cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

Because of the inadequate blood supply, commercial blood donors become rampant. These donors are the sources of unsafe blood that put the lives of the patients in a risky situation.

She said 50 percent to 60 percent of blood donations are drawn from voluntary blood donors while the remaining percent comes from replacement and directed blood donations. A directed donation is when a person, often a family member, donates blood for transfusion to a specific individual.

The donor is examined and asked specific questions about their medical history to make sure that donating blood is not hazardous to their health.

Ligaray said that through this, altruistic approach of a voluntary donor is the basis of a safe blood supply. She added that the safety of the blood would depend on the honesty of the donor.

With the rising HIV cases in Cebu, DOH warns patients to stop buying commercial blood. — (FREEMAN)