02/10/2025
🩸 “𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝘿𝙤 𝙒𝙚 𝙃𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙋𝙖𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝘽𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝘿𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙚?” 🩸
A family member needs blood. You rush to the hospital. You call friends to donate. And then the hospital still charges you 1,800 per unit.
Why? It is a valid question, donors don’t earn from the donations but patients pay for it.
Are they profiting off kindness?
🛑 𝗡𝗼. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵:
You’re NOT paying for the blood.
You’re paying for the life-saving process that makes sure that blood won’t affect the person you’re trying to save.
💉 𝗘𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵:
🔬 Screening tests - HIV, Hepatitis B/C, malaria, syphilis
⚙️ Component separation - red cells, plasma, platelets
🧊 Storage & refrigeration
👩⚕️ Staffing - med techs, nurses, logistics, admin
Screening?
To prevent the transmission of blood-transmitted diseases like HIV, Hepatitis and others.
Component separation?
For the use of consumable supplies for the separation of blood products into platelets, red cells, etc.
Storage and Refrigeration?
To maintain the viability of the blood products, because if not kept in certain conditions these blood products may EXPIRE.
Staffing?
All of these procedures required trained and paid professionals we pay for their expertise.
All of these cost money, ensuring that the blood that the patient is receiving is safe for use, because not all blood units are compatible with every patient, two people may have the same blood types but may not be compatible.
Under Republic Act 7719 and DOH AO 2015‑0045, the ₱1,800 cap ensures you’re only paying to recoup costs, not to profit.
✅ Bottom Line
The ₱1,800 you pay isn’t for the blood itself it’s for the safe, regulated process of transforming donated blood into a usable, life-saving medical product.
It covers testing, processing, safe storage, qualified personnel, and quality control, all essential to prevent infections and ensure compatibility.
