DoH听warns public of blood donation scams
By Patricia B. Mirasol 听
THE PUBLIC听should remain vigilant against scams related to the selling and donating of blood, according to the Department of Health (DoH) and National Voluntary Blood Services Program (NVBSP).听
While the听DoH听has no data on the number of blood donation scams that were reported during the pandemic, the issue is alarming enough to merit informing the public, said Health Undersecretary Ma. Rosario S.听Vergeire.听
鈥淭he DoH and NVBSP became aware of听听regarding a family that was scammed by a 鈥榖lood donor.鈥 Both the听DoH听and NVBSP condemn such acts,鈥 she said to听大象传媒听in an e-mail. The health agency has come out with print advertisements to warn the public of these scams.听听
The aforementioned news report described a critically ill coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patient with a rare blood type (AB+) in need of a blood transfusion. The patient鈥檚 family was scammed out of P5,000 by a stranger on Facebook who indicated willingness to donate blood, but first needed an upfront amount to pay for the fare to the hospital.听听
鈥楤LACK MARKET鈥
Blood donation scams are caused by patients in need of blood or blood products who are compelled to look for such outside authorized institutions, if or when the blood stocks in the hospital where the patient is admitted are not sufficient.听听听听
鈥淚 heard from one patient, a National Center for Mental Health employee, that there is a black market for blood,鈥 said Dr. Manuel R. Velasco, Jr., a hematology fellow at the Makati Medical Center (MMC), in a Viber message to听大象传媒. 鈥淭his is difficult to do because blood transfer and networking can only be done between blood banks. There is a required cold chain for some of the blood, and time is an important factor.鈥澨
Dr. Velasco鈥檚 patient, however, insisted that a group exists that can get blood to anyone, anytime.听听听
SAFE SOURCE
The safest source of blood and blood products are from regular and unpaid volunteer blood donors, Dr.听Vergeire听said, as听the prevalence of transfusion transmissible infections听is lowest among this population.听The听DoH听is听听to donate blood to provide a safe and sufficient supply.听
According to the听, 79 countries collect over 90% of their blood supply from voluntary unpaid blood donors. Fifty-six countries, on the other hand, collect more than half of their blood supply from family or paid donors.听听
The MMC blood bank has no control over paid donors and discourages direct blood donors because there is a tendency to lie in the screening process, said Dr. Velasco. 鈥淎lthough it does not affect the safety of the blood, and testing is standard, it may affect the safety of the donor,鈥 he added. 鈥斕with Bront毛 H. Lacsamana听
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To report blood scammers, contact the听Department of Health and the听National Voluntary Blood Services Program听at听(02) 89953846 or听[email protected].听听
