Philippine Red Cross

PH Red Cross Provides Lifesaving Blood Products to Over 500 Patients Daily from January to May

Written on June 13, 2023. Posted in News and Events. Leave a Comment

Ahead of the World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) celebration on 14 June 2023 and the National Blood Donor Month (NBDM) in July, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) reported that it served 79,634 patients needing blood products from January 1 to May 31, 2023, or over 500 per day on average. PRC’s 107 blood service facilities nationwide dispensed 143,086 blood units for these patients during the period.

According to PRC Chairman and CEO Richard J. Gordon, PRC’s blood services are “exceedingly significant” in meeting the needs of patients across the country. He also emphasized the need for blood products during disasters and emergencies. “PRC is one of the leading suppliers of blood products in the country. Our objective is to contribute to the country’s goal of having an adequate blood supply, which is crucial to any country’s health care system,” said Gordon.

This year’s WBDD and NBDM celebrations share the theme “Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often.”

“PRC has always been steadfast in its commitment to contribute to life-saving through blood service. Our goal is to promote adequate, safe, and quality blood supply. On behalf of the PRC, I thank our donors who share our vision,” said Dr. Gwendolyn Pang, secretary general of the PRC.

Please email the PRC National Blood Services at [email protected] or call 143 or (02) 8790-2300 for inquiries.

Philippine Red Cross Achieves Perfect Passing Rate in 2022 EQAS Evaluation of its Blood Centers

Written on June 1, 2023. Posted in Features, News and Events. Leave a Comment

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) achieved a remarkable 100% passing rate in the 2022 External Quality Assessment Scheme (EQAS), conducted by the Transfusion Transmissible Infections-National Reference Laboratory (TTI-NRL) of the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM). This outstanding accomplishment underscores the PRC’s commitment to provide the highest quality blood and blood products to the communities it serves.

An EQAS evaluates participating laboratories based on the integrity of the entire sample testing process, ensuring accuracy and reliability of results. The PRC’s 30 Blood Centers have each been awarded Certificates of Proficiency, attesting to their exceptional performance and adherence to quality standards.

PRC Chairman Richard J. Gordon congratulated the PRC staff and volunteers at the blood centers, stating, “We are immensely proud of our 30 Blood Centers for their exemplary achievement in the 2022 EQAS evaluation. This accomplishment reinforces our dedication to delivering the best possible care to our blood recipients.”

PRC Secretary General Dr. Gwendolyn Pang also commended the achievement, saying, “The 100% passing rate in the EQAS is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our staff. It highlights the rigorous standards we uphold in providing safe and reliable blood transfusion services. Congratulations to all involved.”

The Philippine Red Cross remains steadfast in its commitment to maintain the highest standards in laboratory testing. By consistently observing best practices, the PRC ensures the safety and well-being of those who depend on their services.

#####

PH RED CROSS AND LRTA CONDUCT A BLOODLETTING ACTIVITY

Written on December 2, 2022. Posted in News and Events.

The stringent Covid-19 lockdown rules halted blood donation activities, precipitating a blood shortage for medical transfusions in the country. On 25 November, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), in partnership with the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), conducted a bloodletting activity in LRT-2 Araneta–Center Cubao Station from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM to help replenish the blood reserves in the country. The activity generated a total of 21 blood units.

“Nagpapasalamat ako sa LRTA sa patuloy nilang pakikipagtulungan sa amin. Ang ganitong blood donation activity ay mahalaga dahil ang pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayan sa dugo ay hindi kailanman matatapos. The blood units collected in this activity will surely reach and help many of our kababayans in vulnerable situations,” PRC Chairman and CEO Richard J. Gordon said.

A unit of blood can save the lives of multiple people. According to PRC Blood Services, red cells, platelets, and plasma are among the transfusable components that can be derived from donated blood. Patients may receive a pint of whole blood or only the specific components of the blood that are required to treat their particular condition.

The PRC has 31 blood centers and 73 blood-collecting units nationwide. From January 1 to October 31, 2022, PRC National Blood Services served 203, 645 patients and collected 392, 391 blood units from 336, 587 donors.

Holiday seasons are known to be lean periods for blood donations, but the Philippine Red Cross is committed to saving lives by conducting blood donation drives anytime. For blood donations, blood requests, and other inquiries, email the PRC National Blood Services at [email protected] or contact the PRC Blood Call Center, which may be reached nationwide by dialing 143.

Philippine Red Cross Blood Services serves more than 100,000 patients from January to June this year

Written on June 30, 2022. Posted in News and Events.

From January 1 to June 26, 2022, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Blood Services served 110,215 patients. It collected 166,266 blood units from 155,997 donors and dispensed 191,696 blood units for the same period.

Dr. Monina Nalupta, Director of PRC’s Blood Services, stressed that donating blood is lifesaving. In an interview with CNN Philippines, Dr. Nalupta noted that there has been an increase in the number of blood donors this year, compared to 2020, when the humanitarian organization saw a 29% fall in blood units donated due to the COVID-19 mobility restrictions.

On the recipient side, mothers who recently delivered babies and are experiencing postpartum hemorrhage comprised 20% of the patients served.

Through the leadership of its Chairman and CEO, Senator Richard J. Gordon, the PRC now has 100 blood service facilities nationwide, making it one of the leading providers of blood and blood products in the country. The PRC continually promotes voluntary non-remunerated blood donations to maintain an adequate supply. “Napakahalaga para sa kahandaan ng ating bansa sa anumang insidente na tayo ay may sapat na suplay ng dugo,” Chairman Gordon said.

For blood donations, blood requests, and other inquiries, email the PRC National Blood Services at [email protected] or contact the PRC Blood Call Center, which may be reached nationwide by dialing 143.

Gordon, PRC raise alarm over rising HIV cases in PH

Written on June 11, 2019. Posted in News and Events. Leave a Comment

Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Chairman Richard Gordon raises alarm over the rising cases of HIV this year—noting that lack of action may affect the supply of quality blood products in the country.

The Department of Health (DOH) recently reported that 38 new cases of HIV were recorded on a daily basis in 2019, a significant rise from the 32-per-day rate in 2018.

“I personally receive calls from people from different provinces, most of them crying and appealing for blood and we strive to meet their needs. If the number of HIV cases continues to rise, our country’s blood supply could be affected,” Gordon said.

This year, PRC is integrating a nucleic acid test (NAT) to its system to allow accurate and more sensitive detection of HIV contraction among applicant donors.

Gordon said PRC prioritizes the integration of NAT into its blood testing system in its blood service facilities in the National Capital Region, where 30 percent of the new cases were registered.

“NAT testing will reduce the Filipino population’s exposure to HIV. We should take action. Let us intensify our HIV prevention campaign through peer education,” Gordon said.

DOH’s latest HIV/AIDS Registry shows that in March alone, there were 1,172 new cases reported, with 215 of them in advanced stage or AIDS. The figure brings the total number of cases this year to 3,434.

Gordon made the statement in line with the celebration of the 2019 World Blood Donors’ Day with the theme “Safe Blood for All,” a call to solidify access to safe and quality blood supply.

PRC now has 93 blood service facilities, including 27 blood centers, 66 blood collecting units/blood stations, and 11 apheresis centers.

The organization recently established blood facilities in Albay, Bogo, Mountain Province, and Calamba. PRC is also eyeing new blood stations in San Carlos, Pangasinan; San Rafael, Bulacan; Bocaue, Bulacan; Imus, Cavite; Bacoor, Cavite; and Romblon.

PRC, as one of the top providers of blood needs in the country, served a total of 205,772 individuals last year.

PRC’s National Blood Center also earned the international standard on quality management systems (ISO 9001:2015, making PRC the first blood center in Southeast Asia and the only non-hospital blood service facility in the Philippines to receive the certification.

Philippine Red Cross | Humanitarian Organization in the Philippines

disaster management services philippines

social welfare services philippines

blood donation philippines

volunteer services philippines

health and services philippines

red cross philippines

Tag: blood center