Joel Barquez still clearly remembers the day of December 12th, 1997. Barquez, founder of Blood Donors Network, was hospitalised for dengue fever at St Luke's Medical Center in the Philippines.
“My platelet count had dropped to critical level and the only thing that would help me with my condition would be to undergo blood transfusion. Unfortunately for me, it was also the season of dengue. I realized that the supply of blood was low when the doctor had to tell my relatives to call as many people as they could who could donate blood. And they did,” says Barquez.
Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne viral disease that peaks in the rainy season. Today, 18 years later, Barquez says nothing much has changed.
“Today in 2015, we are still in that same scenario that every time someone needs blood, the patient’s relatives have to call or text as many people as they can. Some hospitals ask for replacement donors twice the amount that the patient had used in order to replenish their blood supply,” he says.
According to Ernesto Datu, head of the Blood Bank at St Luke's Medical Center, during the summer holidays and Christmas season, blood supply is at its lowest level and cannot keep up with the demand.
“People are more apt to be traveling and partying, enjoying the much-needed time off, which means fewer donors. Some medical procedures during December have to be suspended until January when blood would already be available,” Barquez says.
Time spent searching for blood wastes time and money, he says, as well as causing physical and emotional trauma.
So, Barquez decided to set up Blood Donors Network, a crowd-sourced health app -based application for hospitals, health centers and the Red Cross that provides direct access to compatible blood types from its network of voluntary, non-remunerated donors.
Donors can earn “hero badges” based on donations that are recognized among the blood donor community, health organizations and agencies.
Some donors have already earned hero badges since the web- and mobile-based app was launched in June 2014.
Through the platform, when an institution sends a request of B+?blood?type, registered donors?of that blood?type receive an SMS.
Hospitals participating in beta testing include St Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City and Global Bonifacio City.
The organisation has partnered with Smart Communications and Chikka for SMS messaging, while the Asian Development Bank and Microsoft Philippines support the project, Barquez says.
“Currently, we do not have actual data regarding the number of patients who (have) benefitted from the app. All we have got are thank you notes received through social media.
“I also experienced for the first time that I was personally thanked by the wife of the patient who was at the ICU that time last April 3rd, on Good Friday. I underwent platelet apheresis so that her husband would be able to have his immediate operation due to internal bleeding,” he says.
By 2016, the goal is to go nationwide with Blood Donors Network, Barquez says.
For more information: www.blooddonorsnetwork.org
Published as part of Impact Journalism Day, June 20th, 2015