SOCIALIZATION OF BLOOD SUPPLIES

Perhaps as a spill over from my days as a PCSO Director, I still get emergency requests for blood supplies coming from the relatives of patients who need these. Thanks to my friends at the Philippine Blood Center (PBC), Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and the Dugong Alay Dugtong Buhay (DADB), I am still able to provide the blood supplies. Although PBC and PRC are both very efficient and have never said no to my requests, many relatives of needy patients are asking me why they have to pay for the blood supplies. In their understanding, the blood is being “sold” to them. I always try to explain to them that under the law, it is prohibited to “sell” blood, and that both PBC and PRC are very careful not to break the law. What actually happens is that both PBC and PRC are charging for “processing fees”, which is really just one way for them to Recover their operating costs. Perhaps one way to do away with these fees is to increase the budget of the PBC, being a government agency under the DOH. The PRC is an autonomous NGO, but there is nothing that prohibits the government from donating to it. DADB is also an NGO, and it could freely accept donations from the public and grants from the government. In the absence of additional budgets, perhaps both PBC and PRC could adopt policies that would allow them to waive the “processing” fees for indigent patients. IKE SENERES/09088877282/12-29-2023/iseneres@yahoo.com