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ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/27 April) – Three blood donors were found positive of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the Philippine Red Cross (PRC)-Zamboanga City said.
The three persons were among those who donated blood since January this year.
Dr. Eileen Ruste, PRC regional blood bank head, said the three were among the six people whose blood samples were suspected to be HIV-positive and sent to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) for confirmatory analysis.
Ruste said the donors whose blood samples yielded positive of HIV are in their 20s.
The blood extracted from them was safely disposed, she said.
She emphasized that all blood donated to the regional blood bank are thoroughly screened to ensure the wellbeing of the recipient patients.
She said the bank is equipped with blood screening machines known as Architect and Evolis, which are capable of detecting HIV, hepatitis B and C, sexually transmitted diseases, malaria and other diseases.
She said four medical technologists trained by the RITM are manning PRC’s regional blood bank based in this city.
The regional blood bank serves patients in Region IX as well as the provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, which are part of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. (MindaNews)
