KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato (PIA) – The Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) in the SOCCSKSARGEN Region recently gathered public and private sector partners for a consultative meeting and the creation of the Regional Blood Council.
Partners included national line agencies, local government units, public and private hospitals, the Philippine Red Cross, civil society organizations, business sector representatives, and other stakeholders.
“Region 12 is the first region in the Philippines that has created its regional blood council,” said regional blood program coordinator, Dr. Vina Facinabao.
The creation of a regional blood body is in accordance with Republic Act 7719, also known as the “National Blood Services Act of 1994.”
According to Facinabao, the law seeks to “promote and encourage voluntary blood donation by the citizenry and to instill public consciousness of the principle that blood donation is a humanitarian act.”
In 2010, the Department of Health issued Administrative Order 2010-0002 detailing the policies and guidelines pertinent to the establishment and operations of local blood councils to support the implementation of the National Voluntary Blood Services Program for Blood Safety and Adequacy, Quality Care, and Patient Safety.
Region 12, or SOCCSKSARGEN, straddles the provinces of South Cotabato, Cotabato Province, Sultan Kudarat, and Sarangani, as well as the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, and Kidapawan.
Facinabao explained further that the Regional Blood Council is a multi-agency body that will advocate voluntary blood donation, promote the provision of safe quality blood, and rational use of blood products.
Its specific functions include:
Disseminating correct information to the public about the benefits and advantages of voluntary blood donation and to instill public awareness and consciousness of the principle that blood donation is a humanitarian act;
Motivating different sectors of society to donate blood voluntarily to ensure safer transfusion and to discourage the paid system;
Educating medical and paramedical personnel on the proper use of blood;
Providing technical assistance to improve blood banking procedures and policies, especially in hospital-based blood banks; and
Promoting the interchange of concepts and experiences in blood donation and transfusion practices.
The regional director of the DOH-CHD SOCCSKSARGEN chairs the Executive Committee of SOCCSKSARGEN’s Regional Blood Council.
Based on the proposed organization structure, the Department of Education in the region leads the sub-committee on public education, while the head of the Regional Blood Program of DOH-CHD manages the sub-committee on donor recruitment.
The regional office of the Department of the Interior and Local Government heads the mobile blood donation subcommittee, while the Department of Labor and Employment in the region heads the ways and means subcommittee.
According to Facinabao’s report, Sultan Kudarat and South Cotabato provinces have already legislated the creation of province-level blood councils.
Meanwhile, five local governments, or LGUs, namely: Koronadal City in South Cotabato; Malungon and Kiamba in Sarangani; Magpet in Cotabato Province; and Bagumbayan in Sultan Kudarat, have passed ordinances institutionalizing blood donation programs.
LGU Alabel in Sarangani has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Philippine Red Cross to implement a mobile blood donation program.
Facinabao also underscored that since 2016, the SOCCSKSARGEN Region has surpassed the national minimum target of 1 percent of the total population donating blood. (DED – PIA 12)
