DOH warns vs. selling, buying plasma for Covid-19

Vergeire said buying blood is “very risky” as the recipient could easily contract other diseases if the donor’s blood is infected. (Pixabay photo)

MANILA – An official of the Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday warned against selling and buying of plasma for coronavirus disease (Covid-19) as it cited the risk of transmitting other diseases via blood.

“Ayaw natin ‘yong ipinagbebenta o pinababayaran ang dugo, gusto natin naii-screen muna natin ang mga pasyente bago sila makapagbigay ng dugo (We discourage the selling of blood, we need to screen the patient first before they can give blood),” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during a Laging Handa briefing.

Vergeire said buying blood is “very risky” as the recipient could easily contract other diseases if the donor’s blood is infected.

“May mga sakit na maaaring maisalin galing diyan sa mga dugo na binebenta natin. Ito po ‘yong mga transmissible infections through the blood (There are diseases that can be transmitted through the blood that are for sale. These are transmissible infections through the blood,” she said.

Vergeire asked the public to get proper advice from its official blood centers about convalescent plasma transfusion.

“Hindi po kailangang pabayaran o tayo ay magbayad para sa dugong ito because this is purely voluntary (You don’t need to sell or pay because this is purely voluntary),” she added.

Reports earlier surfaced that some persons in Cebu City are selling plasma for Covid-19 treatment at around PHP80,000 per bag.

Vergeire asked the public to continue practicing the health measures by the government so as to arrest the spread of the disease.

Citing experts and pronouncements from the World Health Organization, she noted the transmission of coronavirus can be airborne in “specific” areas, including hospitals where there are aerosol-producing equipment and establishments with closed settings.

“Kaya nga tayo ay nagkakaroon ng rekomendasyon na sana kung magkakaroon ng pagbubukas ng ibang sektor katulad ng mga restaurant, it should be open air para po hindi tayo nagkakaroon ng mga ganitong instances (This is why we are having recommendations that if possible if other sectors will reopen such as restaurants, it could be open-air so that we avoid such instances),” she added.