Gordon slams hospitals over ‘overpriced’ blood screening
Senator Richard “Dick” Gordon, chairman and chief executive officer of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), has criticized some private hospitals for allegedly making business out of the blood taken from PRC's blood banks.
“Hindi negosyo ang dugo. Ginagawa ng ibang private hospitals na negosyo ang dugo,” he told reporters on Friday afternoon following the inauguration of the newly-rehabilitated PRCCebu chapter building in Cebu City.
“Iyan ang pinakamasamang ugali ng mga private (hospital) owners. Kawawa ang tao,” he added.
Gordon said there is enough supply of blood in Cebu.
But the problem is with the private hospitals charging patients extra for the blood acquired from the government, he said.
“Sisingilin ng doble. Ang (Philippine) Red Cross nga nagbibigay ng mura. Hindi naman kami competing sa kanila,” he said.
Gordon said the standard screening cost of each blood bag from PRC ranges from P1,500 to P1,800. But blood bags are given for free to marginalized patients, he said.
Those who cannot afford the fees can have them waived with an endorsement from the hospital's social worker.
The Red Cross collects screening cost of P1,800 for one unit of whole blood; P1,500 for packed red blood cells; and P1,000 for platelets, plasma and other components.
Based on RA 7719 or the Blood Services Act of 1994, blood centers can charge service fees for the collection, screening, and processing of donated blood.
However, Gordon said private hospitals collect a higher price, ranging from P3,000 to P5,000, for the processing of each blood component.
With this, he urged the public not hesitate to report these cases to authorities.
If found guilty, the private hospital may be penalized, he said.
The PRC Cebu chapter building on Osmeña Boulevard in Cebu City houses the Eastern Visayas Regional Blood Center that is open for dispensing 24 hours a day. It also has a satellite office in Bogo City in northern Cebu.
Aside from its blood center and blood-letting campaigns, the PRC services also include disaster management, volunteer service, health, and Red Cross Youth, among others.
B. Miasco/KBQ