CLARK FREEPORT — It sounds insensitive, but Philippine hospitals usually require two blood donors before one is given blood transfusion.
This anomaly has prompted Philippine Red Cross chairman Sen. Richard Gordon to appeal to hospitals nationwide to provide patients with the blood needed first before requiring them to bring in donors to replace the blood units to be used.
Gordon noted that by requiring patients, particularly those in critical conditions, to produce donors first before they would be provided with the blood required, defeats the purpose of closing down the commercial blood banks.
“Ang gusto kong sabihin sana, ako’y naga- appeal sa mga ospital, tinanggal natin yung mga binabayaran na dugo, binebenta pa yung dugo. Pero kung halimbawa yung ospital, magustuhan nila na magkaroon sila ng blood bank, bago magbigay ng dugo, papahanapin ka muna ng dalawang donor para palitan yung dugong ibibigay nila, medyo mali yata ‘yan,” he said in a statement.
“Hinihiling ko sa media, na dapat masabihan (ang mga ospital) na hindi dapat humihingi ng kapalit sapagkat kung ikaw ay hahawak ka sa patalim. Yung tatay mo o yung asawa mo ay agaw-buhay tapos hihingian ka pa ng ganun, baka mamaya nagbayad kayo, yun pala, hindi natin alam, nakuha lang sa kalye e doble gastos kayo. Tetestingin yung dugo nun, kung may contamination yung dugo, gastos na naman yun…They should tell the people who are recipients of the blood na kumuha ng donor after the fact. Hindi yung agaw-buhay dun ka hihingian ng dugo para mapalitan mo yung dugo na ibibigay sa iyo. That is a real problem,” he added.
Gordon also assured that the PRC aims to open up more blood banks and blood centers for accessibility of blood supply, adding that the PRC and the Department of Health are ensuring that sure and safe blood will be available for all, even in the most vulnerable communities in the rural areas in the country.
The PRC chair also stressed the importance of donating blood, saying that blood donors are everyday heroes because the blood they donate can save lives.
“That is why it is so important on Blood Donors’ Day, that we make sure that there is safe blood for everybody, that we know the rules and we’re going to make sure that we really are good Samaritans when it comes to saving lives. Mahalaga ang ating mga blood donors. Everyone should try and encourage everyone to donate blood dahil araw-araw ay libu-libong tao ang nangangailangan ng dugo sa buong bansa. Everyday should be World Blood Donor’s Day,” he also said.
