Thursday, June 15, 2006
Lack of teeth stalls move to limit commercial blood banks: DOH
The government will soon put up only one blood center in the Visayas to ensure that only safe and quality blood will reach those who need it.
Dr. Cora Lou Kintanar, Department of Health (DOH) 7 local government assistance cluster head, revealed this yesterday. She also admitted that although Republic Act 7719 was enacted to outlaw commercial blood donation, the law has “no teeth” and does not impose sanctions on violators.
Kintanar, who used to head DOH 7’s National Voluntary Blood Donation program, said they have been pushing for sanctions but nothing has been done about it.
Shut down
However, the DOH is preparing to shut down commercial blood banks nationwide within two years.
DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III, according to a Sun.Star News Exchange report, assured that the move will not have any effect on the supply of blood in the country.
But local health officials said during yesterday’s Kapihan sa PIA, in time for National Blood Donors’ Day, that there has been a decline in blood donations.
Dr. Alma Malilong, a pathologist of the Regional Blood Coordinating Center (RBCC), said the RBCC and the DOH 7’s Regional Blood Center used to collect 600 bags of blood monthly.
Dr. Judith Tawatao, DOH 7 National Voluntary Blood Donation program coordinator, revealed that the number of persons availing themselves of blood have increased in the last three years.
Biggest pool
From over 5,000 in 2003, the number increased to over 6,000 in the last two years.
Malilong said the two centers’ biggest pool of donors is the Reserve Officers Training Course cadets, which, according to Kintanar, indicates that there are more young donors.
Kintanar said those who donate blood are the ones who experienced the need for donors when they or their families needed blood.
Tawatao, however, encouraged more new donors to give blood, adding that donation renews the blood system and allows the donor to know his or her blood type.
Donors, Malilong added, are assured of available blood when they or their immediate families need it.
As for the issue on safety, she revealed that they only traced one case of a potential donor who tested positive for a sexually transmitted disease.
This, she added, indicates voluntary donors are safer than commercial blood donors.
She encouraged ba-rangays, companies and religious groups to organize blood-letting activities.
Kintanar said one of the highlights of next month’s observance of Blood Donors’ Month is the recognition of frequent blood donors and the local governments that are active in the campaign for voluntary blood donation.
Among the towns that are active in blood donations are Liloan and Argao, which incidentally have a high incidence of dengue fever, she said. In acute cases of dengue fever, transfusions are often required. (CYR)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (June 15, 2006 issue)
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