The city council passed an ordinance that sought to establish blood banks in Baguio to promote voluntary blood donation.
The ordinance sought to instill into the public the principle that blood donation is a humanitarian act.
Councilor Michael Lawana, main author of the ordinance, said barangays should be encouraged to participate in mechanisms for voluntary and non-profit collection of blood.
“Blood banks in the barangays may provide readily available blood deposits to its constituents in times of need,” he said.
The ordinance mandates the creation of a Barangay Blood Council consisting of the punong barangay as chairperson and the chair of the council committee on health and sanitation, ecology, and environmental protection as the blood program coordinator and action officer with five members from various sectors in the barangay as appointed by the chairperson.
The Barangay Blood Council will conduct regular blood letting and donation activities and information, education, and communication campaigns on voluntary blood donation.
The Baguio General Hospital, through its blood transfusion services, will be the main blood service facility (BSF).
Under the ordinance, a Barangay Blood Donor’s Program will be organized for the conduct of regular blood donation activities which will be included in the permanent programs of every barangay.
The blood donation activities will be held in barangay halls or any functional and hygienic place decided by the barangay council to be conducted by licensed personnel of blood service facilities.
The activities under the Barangay Blood Donor’s Program will be conducted every July. The barangay council, however, may decide on a convenient period for the blood donation activities in the event of a local epidemic, natural calamity, or conflict of schedule.
Aside from the blood donation activities, public education will also be conducted in this month to be spearheaded by the barangay in collaboration with the City Health Services Office to raise the awareness of the barangay residents on the value and advantages of blood donation.
Prior to the blood donation activity, the barangay will organize an orientation to ensure proper public education and awareness.
Possible donors will accomplish a Donor Information Sheet provided by the BSF.
A physical examination and interview will be conducted by medical personnel to identify the donors’ medical history and vital signs. About 400-500 cc will be extracted from each donor.
All donated blood in the Barangay Blood Collection Center will be stored for screening tests, manufacture of blood products, and dispensing of the same to the BSF. The same will be labeled and named after the barangay where it was collected.
The barangays will be required to keep a master list of qualified volunteers with their specified blood type. The barangay officials will be required to update the list after every blood donation activity.
Blood donors, after the blood donation procedure, will be issued a Blood Donors Card by the BSF which can be used by the card holder or any of their family member to request for blood from the BSF in times of need without charge.
Bona fide residents of the barangay will be prioritized in accessing blood deposits from their respective barangay. Residents of other barangays may access the blood deposits of other barangay blood banks, subject to automatic replenishment of quality used and withdrawn.
An initial amount of P100,000 will be appropriated from the city government’s annual budget to cover the various activities related to the program.
The ordinance is yet to be signed by Mayor Benjamin Magalong before its implementation. – Jordan G. Habbiling
April 27, 2024
