The Department of Health (DOH) expressed optimism that Eastern Visayas will meet its annual blood collection target with the operation of the regional blood center here.
DOH Eastern Visayas Regional Director Exuperia Sabalberino said on Monday that the regional blood center, located within the Eastern Visayas Medical Center (EVMC) complex here, is now fully operational following a series of upgrades and enhancements in recent years.
“We are slowly upgrading to cater to the needs of the region. The target is to collect blood equivalent to one percent of the population. If the region’s population is 4.7 million, that means we must collect 47,000 units of blood in a year,” Sabalberino told the Philippine News Agency.
One unit of blood is approximately one pint or 450 milliliters.
Sabalberino said Eastern Visayas achieved a 0.97 percent blood collection rate in 2025 through blood donation drives organized by local government units and non-government organizations.
“We are optimistic of surpassing the requirement this year, especially now that we have a regional blood center. The one percent of the population is considered adequate based on estimates,” she added.
The national government invested about PHP100 million to construct and upgrade the facility on a 5,000-square-meter property, including the procurement of modern equipment.
Among the newly acquired equipment is an apheresis machine, which separates specific blood components directly from a donor.
Using centrifugal force or specialized filters, the machine can collect plasma, platelets, red blood cells, or white blood cells while returning the remaining components to the donor.
The technology enables blood donations to benefit multiple patients, as the separated components can be transfused according to specific medical needs.
The establishment of the regional blood center is part of the DOH’s National Voluntary Blood Services Program, which encourages healthy individuals aged 18 to 65 years and weighing at least 50 kilograms to donate blood regularly to help ensure a safe and adequate blood supply for patients across the region. (PNA)
