While blood itself is free of charge since this comes from donations, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) explained why there is a need for the organization to collect fees for blood.
“Hindi natin binabayaran ang dugo, dahil ang dugo, voluntary na binibigay yan (We don't pay for blood, because blood is given voluntarily),” said PRC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Richard Gordon.
In line with the campaign for Blood Donor Month this July 2021, PRC reiterated why the Red Cross collects fees for blood. Gordon said that the payment is for blood recruitment and education, collecting, blood testing, preparing blood products and quality assurance.
Gordon added that there are fees to “recover the costs of testing and operations.”
The PRC noted that its blood facilities are “non-profiting” according to Republic Act 7719 or the National Blood Services Act of 1994 (Voluntary Blood Donation). This is also stated in the approved DOH Admin Order 2015-0045.
The PRC said it collects and processes blood from the “voluntary donations to be able to help the most vulnerable.”
“Through the years, blood services have remained as one of the major contributors of safe and quality blood supply in the country,” PRC said.
“The people’s need for blood doesn’t stop,” Gordon said, especially amid the ongoing public health situation in the country.
Due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, Gordon said that there is a “regular need for giving blood and the contribution of voluntary blood donors to be able to reach out to the most vulnerable.” The PRC National Blood Center (NBS) is ISO 9001:2015 certified.
To ensure safe and adequate blood supply, the NBS provides mobile blood donation, blood samaritan program, blood recruitment and recognition, blood testing and processing, and blood issuance.
PRC said that the Blood Services also launched a special project to provide Convalescent Plasma for COVID-19 patients.
For blood and blood product needs, PRC may be reached via Facebook, [email protected] or by calling 143 for urgent requests.