Written by Bernadette Egtapen
“Be the reason for someone’s heartbeat.”
On January 31, 2024, Mr. Rhey Gregory Aquino, a faculty member of the School of Natural Sciences (SNS) was invited to speak about blood donation on Regional News Group, a regional TV program in Baguio City. Mr. Aquino discussed the basics of blood donation, including the do’s and don’ts for donors before and after donation. He also explained the reasons for donor deferral, which occurs when a person is temporarily or permanently ineligible to donate due to health or safety concerns. Ensuring both donor and recipient safety is crucial, as blood donation should not pose a health risk to the donor or an additional burden to the recipient.
Blood donation in the Philippines has a long history. It began with Republic Act (RA) 1517, also known as the Blood Banking Law of 1956. However, this law allowed the sale of human blood, which led to an increased transmission of transfusion transmitted diseases (TTDs). To address this issue, RA 7719, or the National Blood Services Act of 1994, was enacted. This law promotes voluntary blood donation to ensure a sufficient supply of safe blood and to regulate blood banks.
Another key topic covered by Mr. Aquino was Component Therapy. A single unit of donated whole blood can be separated into Packed Red Blood Cells (PRBCs), Plasma, and Platelets. PRBCs help increase the red blood cell mass in patients with anemia. Plasma and platelets can help for managing bleeding disorders.
He also emphasized the importance of ABO blood typing in blood donation since the ABO blood group clinically impacts transfusion. Among Filipinos, O is the most common blood type, while AB is the most rare.
Through these discussions, the University of Baguio not only promotes blood donation but also advances Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, which aims to ensure good health and well-being for all.
