Philippines ‘first’ mobile blood bank unveiled

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu province is the first in the country to have a sophisticated vehicle solely for blood-related services, according to the Provincial Health Office (PHO).

Capitol unveiled the P1.2-million van equipped with eight reclined seats intended for blood collections. The van has also extendable tent to cater to more blood donors.

Doctor Rene Catan, PHO chief, said the Capitol spent less for the vehicle, a refurbished mobile X-ray unit.

He said the X-ray van was no longer needed because X-ray machines are already available at each provincial and district hospitals.

"This goes around the province of Cebu kay daghan na man kaayong ni-request for blood," he said.

The first stop would be in Bantayan Island in northern Cebu, but the details are yet to be finalized, he said.

Catan said this development is significant because PHO will no longer need to ferry the bloodletting paraphernalia, which would take a longer time to set up.

“With the mobile unit, everything else is already set. It’s more convenient and organized,” he said.

It will serve as a movable blood bank that will accept donated blood and run supply to 16 Capitol-run hospitals, including the four provincial hospitals in Balamban town and in Carcar, Danao, and Bogo cities.

Governor Hilario Davide III said the mobile unit is in line with the provincial government’s thrust to provide Cebuanos quality public health.

The collected blood will be processed at the Sacred Heart Hospital, the Capitol’s partner medical institution.

Once processed, the blood will be distributed to provincial and district hospitals for utilization.

On the other hand, the provincial government targets to establish its own blood processing unit in one of its provincial hospitals within this year. — KBQ (FREEMAN)