Red Cross opens new blood bank in Mandaluyong
Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Chairman Richard J. Gordon yes- terday led the inauguration of the PRC Tower National Blood Center along EDSA cor. Boni Avenue in Mandaluyong city and stressed that the new facility will pave the way for easier and more accessible ways to donate and avail of blood products.
PRC, likewise, launched “Blood Samaritan Program” for the indigent patients as a continuous commitment in serving the nation.
“If you are an indigent and could not afford to get blood, just get an indigent certificate from your barangay or the hospital and bring it to our blood service facilities,” Gordon said.
“The Red Cross has licensed personnel who can certify a person’s social status,” added Gordon.
The said program is sponsored by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
Blood Samaritan Program covers the cost of blood processing, screening, testing and storage, to ensure indigent patients to have access to blood whenever they need it.
“The PRC Tower National Blood Center has a blood storage capacity of 4,000 units at a time. It has a walk-in blood bank refrigerator and five floor-type blood bank refrigerators. It also has state-of-the-art testing machines for HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, and malaria, as well as five apheresis machines,” Gordon said.
He said the new blood center makes donating and availing of blood more accessible to a larger number of people.
The PRC chairman assured the public that the blood products are subjected to all prescribed health standards and screening procedures.
“We all know how important it is to make blood always available to those who need it. It can spell the difference between life and death. It is thus our business to make sure that more people donate blood and to ensure that the blood supply is safe,” Gordon added.
PRC is likewise aiming to achieve an ISO certification for the newly launched blood center and all of its other centers to assure the public of its safety when it comes to their blood supply. The PRC’s National Blood Center located in Port Area, Manila is an ISO 9001:2008 certified facility.