The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) on Thursday, Sept. 16, said that the processing fees for the blood it collects through its facilities are dictated by the government through the Department of Health (DOH).
“Although the blood is donated, there are costs involved in processing the blood,” said the PRC in a statement.
This after President Duterte, during his latest “Talk to the People” episode aired this morning, questioned why the country’s foremost humanitarian organization charges for blood even if these are donated by the country’s citizens.
In a Facebook post, PH Red Cross also explained that while the blood itself is free, those who would want to avail would have to pay for the "processing fee."
Citing information from the website of the DOH, PRC stated: “While donated blood is free, there are significant costs associated with collecting, testing, preparing, components, labeling, storing and shipping, recruiting and educating donors, and quality assurance. As a result, processing fees are charged to recover costs. Processing fees for individual blood components vary considerably."
Furthermore, PRC noted that DOH Administrative Order 2015-004 also stated that the “maximum allowable blood service fees for the provision of whole blood and blood components shall be applicable to all Blood Service Facilities in the Philippines be they under the national government, private, Local Government Unit, and the Philippine Red Cross.” The PRC maintained that it continues to adhere to these allowable processing fees.
“We are doing cost recovery according to the law,” PRC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Senator Richard Gordon added.
“The processing fees collected for blood are ploughed back into the program to continue to provide blood services to others in need,” Gordon added.
PH’s top blood provider Meanwhile, PRC stressed that it continues to be the Philippines’ top provider of “safe and quality blood” -- providing 50 percent of all blood needs throughout the country.
With its 93 blood facilities, the PRC has provided 268,894 units of blood since January of this year serving 109,644 individuals.
The PRC conducts numerous blood-letting events wherein “selfless individuals” donate blood to help their fellow countrymen.
Despite the allowable reimbursement of processing costs, there is a PRC program which provides free blood services to those who qualify.
Initially funded with P11.5 million personally raised by Gordon then kept going by donations from other selfless individuals, the “Blood Samaritan” program serves those who present a Certificate of Indigency from a local government unit (LGU), hospital social worker, or hospital social service department.
PRC maintained that it established blood facilities in response to an “underserved need that the government could not address.”
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2021/06/29/ph-red-cross-collect-fees-for-blood-find-out-why/