Bontoc, Mountain Province – Sufficient, safe and affordable supply of blood in every barangay of this municipality for patients who need blood transfusion will no longer be a problem.
This, following the approval of Ordinance No. 302, s. 2018, “An Ordinance Establishing a Blood Donor’s Program in Every Barangay in the Municipality of Bontoc” which was authored by Sangguniang Bayan member Julian F. Chumacog who chairs the Committee on Health.
The Sangguniang Bayan supported and approved the ordinance recognizing the need to maintain a safe, quality and accessible blood supply in saving the lives of those who need it during critical times.
The ordinance aimed to promote and encourage voluntary blood donation by the public; provide adequate, safe and affordable supply of blood in every barangay; and inform the public of the importance of donating blood voluntarily in curbing dangers and health related problems caused by commercial sale of blood.
Under the ordinance, the Bontoc municipal government through the Municipal Health Office (MHO) shall conduct an outreach schedule of blood typing and blood testing of volunteer blood donors in every barangay. Those who pass the thorough laboratory screening shall be considered as qualified walking blood donors and shall be called as Walking Blood Bank.
To ensure that the walking blood donors are on call when needed, a master list shall be kept by the respective Punong Barangay and copy furnished the MHO and the Mayor’s Office.
Also, every walking blood donors shall be given a Walking Blood Bank Card.
If a patient in a barangay needs blood transfusion, the qualified walking blood bank may provide to the patient the needed blood immediately, if both donor and recipient are of the same blood type.
To ensure that the blood of walking blood donors are not tainted with blood transfusion transmissible diseases, they must undergo a laboratory check–up once in every three months.
Also, they are entitled of a free medical check–up at the Bontoc-Rural Health Unit (RHU) for any sickness or disease.
Bontoc Mayor Franklin C. Odsey approved the ordinance being aware of the benefit it brings to the constituents.
He mentioned that with a master list of walking blood donors in all the barangays of Bontoc; it shortens the time, minimizes the use of resources and saves efforts in looking for qualified blood donors especially when a patient needs an immediate blood transfusion.
Odsey added that this is also a means of advocating humanitarian acts starting from the grass roots or the community.
“Giving blood is giving the most precious gift to another person. The gift that will extend the life of the sick which the officialdom of Bontoc is also advocating,” the mayor added.
With this, he solicited the cooperation of the constituents once the MHO will be going around the barangays to undertake blood typing and blood testing of volunteer blood donors.
By Alpine L. Killa