CEBU CITY — To let the public further understand the true concept of blood donation, the National Voluntary Blood Services Program (NVBSP), through its sub-national blood center for the Visayas, has conducted Monday an orientation for members of the Kapisanan ng mga Broadkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP) to empower them on such issues as the voluntary blood program.

It can be recalled that Central Visayas has suffered an abrupt decrease of donors due to cancellation of blood cards with Cebu among the most affected provinces that experienced low blood supply.

Regional Blood Council (RBC)7 Chief Dr. Reynette Legaray earlier said that with Cebu as the most populated area in the region, the province has to increase its blood supply through the voluntary blood donation.

The entire region, Central Visayas, needs to increase its current supply to at least 40 percent to meet its target.

Meanwhile, Legaray said most of the blood donors here expect that when they donate blood they would be given priority when they, in turn, need blood for themselves. Others donate blood to avail of the free screen tests. Donated blood are subject to screening for five diseases — hepa B and C, syphilis, malaria and HIV/AIDS.

Moreover, Legaray admitted that after the Council stopped distributing incentive cards, the number of blood donors significantly dropped, resulting to the inadequate number of blood supply in the region, specifically in Cebu.