New law on blood donation sought

A new ordinance establishing a voluntary blood donation program in the city is needed to repeal the existing inoperative one.

This was the recommendation of the city council research division under local legislative staff officer V Dan Ricky Ong in the report submitted to Vice Mayor Edison Bilog.

The report was based on the legislative monitoring and evaluation done on Ordinance No. 54 series of 1992 “Establishing a pool of possible blood donors in all barangays in the city and appropriating funds therefor” and Resolution No. 342 series of 2011 “Enjoining barangays of the (city) to encourage and seek possible blood donors within their barangays and to create list of possible donors to serve as database in their barangays…”

In the report, local legislative staff officer IV Eliza Orduna noted that the said measures have not been fully implemented since their approval and that Ordinance No. 54-1992 needs to be repealed as the supposed fund allotted for the establishment of the pool of blood donors has been reverted.

She said the new ordinance should consider the recommendations put forward by authorities consulted during the legislative monitoring.

Philippine National Red Cross Baguio City chapter administrator Anastacia Tamayo said that as of 2016, only 28 percent of the 128 barangays in the city participated in blood donation activities.

She said regular conduct of the following activities might ensure full implementation of the database in the barangays: intensive blood donor recruitment campaign even twice-a-week in two barangays for probable donors; target two barangays per week for blood donation activities; repeat blood donation as may be applicable after three months; and giving of recognition of blood donors and partners annually.

Barangay officials interviewed admitted difficulty in encouraging their constituents to voluntarily donate blood due to lack of education and suggested that a massive information information-education communication( I EC) campaign be continually done during barangay assemblies and Pasadang Pambarangay along with blood-typing activities.

Charlyn Tagabing of the Dept. of Health Cordillera said blood donation must be voluntary not only for replacement and that it must be done on a regular basis (twice-a-year or once in

a quarter) and not only during emergency cases.

She said massive IEC campaigns are being conducted by their department to meet the blood collection target which was not attained in 2016.

Dr. Zoraida Clavio of the city health services office said they have conducted blood-typing activities in the barangays during health fairs.

She reiterated that blood-typing activities should be continued, mobile blood donation activities conducted in the barangays and that a list of donors be kept.

Coordination with the PRC should also be done on the funding and materials needed in the activities.

She suggested that Ordinance No. 54-92 and Res. 342-2011 be consolidated into an ordinance on voluntary blood program for the city.