DOH is checking into the alleged commercialization of body parts

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
February 24, 2007

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  The Department of Health assures the public that it is already looking into the commercialization of body parts in the country.

DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III, during his interaction with the local media in Tacloban, said that the Department has received reports that there is one community in the National Capital Region where about 3,000 people have already sold their body parts particularly kidneys.

Secretary Duque was reacting to the information given by the media practitioners on the alleged selling of kidneys by some poor people in the Region, for P30,000.00.

He said that the Department has started conducting coordination meetings in order to lay down the parameters to draft policies and regulatory measures regarding this issue. When these policies are drawn, the Department of Health will ask Congress for the necessary legislation, Secretary Duque said.

Those who are donating or selling their organs must be given the necessary protection. His health must be constantly monitored, Secretary Duque said. This must be emphasized to the people who are selling their body parts, he said.

The same is true with those who are selling their blood for those who are in need of blood transfusion. Secretary Duque said that buying blood from people who are not known to the family of the sick is very dangerous. The blood must first be properly screened before extraction and transfusion to patients, he said.

His advice is for those who are in need of blood to get them from the accredited blood centers. The Eastern Visayas Medical Center has an active blood bank, the Secretary informed.

Also, local government units have a periodic blood letting and the blood is deposited in the blood banks for use of the patients from their respective localities, Secretary Duque added.