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The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) here is facing a problem as its local blood bank supply continues to fall short.

PRC Zamboanga City Chapter Administrator Victor Liozo Jr. revealed that their blood bank has a low supply of blood due to several reasons.

“The supply of blood is low because right now there's no more replacement of blood...release que release ya lang," Liozo said in an interview.

He cited the instruction of Department of Health (DOH) on the non replacement of blood and the lean month (April), where students are on summer vacation, as the cause for the low supply of blood

At present, the DOH instructed the non replacement of blood because they are targeting 100% voluntary blood donation by 2015, according to Liozo.

Also the PRC blood bank at present has only one packed RBC Type O, for Platelet Concentrate Type O 16, Type A ten, and Type AB four, for fresh frozen plasma, Type O 94, Type A 109, and Type AB 62.

Liozo further said the office is releasing around 30 bags of blood per day, wherein the patients are mostly from the Zamboanga Peninsula Region to include the provinces of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.

Earlier, the PRC Zamboanga City Chapter blood bank was conferred by the Department of Health (DOH) as the Regional Blood Center for Zamboanga Peninsula.

Because the PRC blood bank was converted to a Regional Blood Center for Zamboanga Peninsula, the hospitals can only extract blood, the samples will be screened by the PRC and the result will just be transmitted to assure safe blood.

As the city is also experiencing a rise of dengue cases with nine mortalities and over 600 dengue cases from January to April, Liozo said that "platelets only depends on the donor and we can only have more platelets during mass donations."

A person with dengue fever needs around four to eight units of platelets depends on the condition of the patients.

These platelets has a lifespan of only three to five days and it is not available immediately. The blood refrigerated centrifuge will still be used to separate blood components into three packed RBC (Red Blood Cells), platelet concentrate and fresh frozen plasma.

The platelets cannot be taken immediately because when they extract blood from a donor a machine will still separate the platelet and the whole process will take some four hours.

However, according to Liozo, in case the need arises they can ask for help in Cebu, Davao and Manila.

The office is collecting a processing fee for blood P1,500 for Whole Blood, Packed RBC P1,100 and Platelets and other components P700 per unit.

Liozo explained that the processing fee is being used for the processing of blood to include the payment of reagents.  

Before the blood will be released, the blood will still be tested to assure that the blood they get from the Red Cross is safe and quality.

The blood samples are being tested for Hepatitis, venereal diseases, malaria, HIV (Human Immune Virus) AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)

The PRC is spending some P8 million, a year for the operation of the blood bank alone and the city is giving an aid of P1.8 Million for the reagents.

During the PRC’s 10th Chapter Assembly last March 22, Mayor Celso Lobregat who is also the Governor of the PRC promised to increase the aid being given by the City to the PRC from P1.8 Million to P2.5 Million.

Because of the low supply of blood, Liozo appealed to the public especially those who are qualified to donate blood to donate their blood.

"Those who are willing to donate their blood may go to the office of the Red Cross Zamboanga City Chapter at Petit Baracks," he said.

The advantages of donating blood are its like change oil because of  blood donation the bone marrow is simulated to produce new red blood cells, which will make our blood forming organs function more effectively, for personal health free check up of blood type, blood pressure and physical examination by the doctor.

Qualified to donate blood are those 18 to 65 years old, weighing 50 kilogram with normal blood pressure, and hemoglobin count not less than 125 gm/ml.

The PRC and the Zamboanga City Medical Center are the only authorized blood banks here in this city however the people mostly depend on the PRC for their blood needs.

The PRC is anchored on its seven fundamental principles which are humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

The six major Red Cross services includes blood program, Red Cross Youth, community health and nursing services, disaster management services, safety services and social services.


By: R.G. Antonet Go