TO ensure an adequate supply of safe blood for Bulakenyos through voluntary blood donation, the Provincial Government of Bulacan headed by Governor Daniel Fernando inaugurated the new building that houses the Provincial Blood Center and Provincial Health Office – Public Health located at the Bulacan Medical Center Compound in this city on Monday.
Being one of the provinces in Region 3 with a leading blood service facility and the only provincial-run blood center service facility, the new blood center ensures better service to the public and has been upgraded with new equipment including couches for six donors, refrigerated centrifuge, two blood bank refrigerators, blood testing machine, and ultra-low plasma freezer.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Health Office – Public Health is located at the second floor of the building that includes a training room, logistics/stock room, Malaria hub and offices for Health Education and Promotion Division, LGU Support Division and Epidemiology and Surveillance Division.
Also, a separate Cold Storage Room was erected beside the new building which was funded by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund to ensure proper and safe storage of vaccines for children including Penta Vaccine, BCG, MMR, Hepa B, PCV, IPV and OPV. It also includes 9,500 liters walk in refrigerator, ultra-low freezer and it can occupy half a million supply of other vaccines such as COVID-19 vaccines including Sinovac and Pfizer, pneumonia vaccine, flu vaccine and HPV.
In his message, Fernando said that having a separate facility for blood donations will be a big help not only for Bulakenyos but for other patients who need assistance.
“Napakalaking tulong na atin pong binubuksan ang ating Blood Center dahil alam naman po natin na galing tayo sa pandemya. Ito po ay isa sa kakulangan natin at kailangang bigyang prayoridad dito sa ating lalawigan. Sa katotohanan naman, open tayo sa lahat. Marami din sa ating mga kababayan mula sa mga karatig probinsya ang dinadala sa ating pasilidad, ngunit siyempre prayoridad natin ang ating mga kababayang Bulakenyo. Gayunpaman, tayo ay nakahandang tumulong sa abot ng ating makakaya,” the governor said.
The Provincial Blood Center is open 24 hours to cater to patients who need blood and blood donors will be accommodated from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM daily.
