Circular No. 182/2009/TT-BTC guides the content and expenditure levels for blood donation promotion activities.

CIRCULAR

Guidelines on the content and expenditure levels for blood donation promotion activities

and voluntary blood donation campaigns

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Pursuant to Decision No. 198/2001/QĐ-TTg dated November 28, 2001 of the Prime Minister approving the Blood Safety Program;

Pursuant to Decision No. 235/QĐ-TTg dated February 26, 2008 of the Prime Minister establishing the National Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation Campaigns;

After reaching consensus with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance hereby provides guidelines on the content and expenditure levels for blood donation promotion activities and voluntary blood donation campaigns as follows:

Section I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of application

The Circular applies to healthcare facilities with the function of selecting blood donors, collecting whole blood and blood components (referred to as blood collection facilities) in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Health; the National Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation Campaigns at all levels; agencies, units, and organizations participating in blood donation promotion, mobilization, and organization of voluntary blood donation events.

Article 2. Sources of Funds

The funds for implementing blood donation promotion and mobilization activities, including voluntary whole blood and component donations (referred to as voluntary blood donation), consist of:

- State budget funds;

- Recovered funds from the provision of whole blood and blood products;

- Donations and sponsorships from domestic and foreign organizations and individuals;

- Other lawful sources of funding.

PART II

SPECIFIC PROVISIONS

Article 3. Content and expenditure levels for blood donation promotion and mobilization activities funded from recovered funds from the provision of whole blood and blood products

1. Expenditure for supporting travel, light meals, and gifts for voluntary blood donors: Based on actual circumstances and the maximum support level decided by the Ministry of Health, blood collection facilities shall determine the support amount and form, ensuring encouragement and facilitating conditions for voluntary blood donors.

2. Expenditure for supporting units and facilities organizing voluntary blood donation days:

a) Contents of support expenditure:

- Printing materials and leaflets for promotional purposes;

- Remuneration for promoters; support for pre- and post-donation counseling staff;

- Rent for venue (if applicable);

- Expenditure for local-level summary and award ceremonies;

- Other expenditures for organizing voluntary blood donation days;

b) Specific expenditure levels for the above contents shall be agreed upon by blood collection facilities and organizing units according to current regulations, fitting actual circumstances and not exceeding the maximum support level decided by the Ministry of Health.

c) The aforementioned funds shall be transferred by blood collection facilities to organizing units through a responsibility contract. Based on the anticipated quantity of collected blood during the voluntary blood donation event, blood collection facilities shall advance 50% of the costs to support promotional, mobilization, and organizational activities for organizing units. Within seven days after the conclusion of the voluntary blood donation event, blood collection facilities shall settle the contract and pay the full support funds to organizing units according to the signed contract.

d) If organizing units do not require the use of the support funds mentioned in point a clause 2, blood collection facilities may use these funds for other blood donation organization activities, donor care, or to cover costs for cases without health insurance cards but eligible for free blood under Article 5 of this Circular.

3. To ensure encouragement and facilitation for voluntary blood donors, contributing to the advancement of voluntary blood donation activities; based on actual circumstances, the Ministry of Health shall stipulate the maximum cost levels for the expenditures specified in clauses 1 and 2 of this Article within the framework of the maximum blood price structure decided by the Ministry of Health.

Article 4. Content and level of expenditure from the state budget and other lawful sources for voluntary blood donation mobilization work

The National Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation Mobilization and the Provincial Steering Committees for Voluntary Blood Donation Mobilization under centrally governed cities and provinces shall be provided with funds from the state budget to implement propaganda and mobilization activities for voluntary blood donation according to the current state budget allocation levels, including:

1. Expenditure for seminars, conferences, mid-term reviews, final summaries, planning, and directing the implementation of voluntary blood donation mobilization work to ensure blood supply for treatment needs across the country. The content and level of expenditure shall follow the current conference organization regulations.

2. Expenditure for updating information on voluntary blood donation mobilization work. The content and level of expenditure shall follow the current regulations on creating electronic information.

3. Expenditure for purchasing, printing materials and tools serving communication and mobilization activities to encourage people's participation in voluntary blood donation, and voluntary blood components according to the current bidding and procurement regulations.

4. Expenditure for training staff and propagandists responsible for mobilizing people to donate blood and voluntary blood components. The content and level of expenditure shall follow the current retraining and training program regulations.

5. Expenditure for organizing propaganda and mobilization activities to encourage people's participation in voluntary blood donation:

a) Expenditure for renting mass media channels according to actual contracts for propaganda and mobilization to encourage people's participation in voluntary blood donation and voluntary blood components.

b) Expenditure for activities and events aimed at caring for and honoring voluntary blood donors. The content and level of expenditure shall follow the current conference and reward expenditure regulations.

6. Expenditure for printing Voluntary Blood Donation Certificates according to the current regulations on procurement of goods using state budget funds. The Ministry of Health shall stipulate the issuance, use, and management of Voluntary Blood Donation Certificates. Blood collection centers shall be responsible for registering and issuing certificates to voluntary blood donors and voluntary blood component donors according to the regulations.

7. Expenditure for rewarding organizations and individuals with outstanding achievements in voluntary blood donation mobilization work according to the current regulations.

8. Expenditure for inspection, supervision, and urging the implementation of targets and tasks of voluntary blood donation mobilization work nationwide. The content and level of expenditure shall follow the provisions of Circular No. 06/2007/TT-BTC dated January 26, 2007, issued by the Ministry of Finance guiding the preparation of budgets, management, and use of funds to ensure the implementation of policies, strategies, plans, and inspections.

9. Other legitimate expenditures related to the implementation of voluntary blood donation mobilization propaganda and mobilization work.

Article 5. Compensation for Blood and Blood Components for Voluntary Blood Donors

In cases where voluntary blood donors need to receive blood transfusions at public health facilities, they shall be exempted from paying for the cost of blood and blood components up to the amount of blood and blood components donated as recorded on their Voluntary Blood Donation Certificate. If the patient is covered by health insurance, the Social Insurance agency shall be responsible for settling this expense for public health facilities; if the patient is not covered by health insurance, the state budget shall provide this expense to public health facilities according to the current state budget management levels.

Article 6. Management work

1. The Ministry of Health and People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities shall direct blood collection facilities to cooperate with the Blood Donation Mobilization Steering Committee at the provincial and centrally governed city levels to effectively implement voluntary blood donation mobilization activities within their jurisdictions, achieving good results.

2. Budget preparation, budget execution, and final accounting for expenses related to promoting and mobilizing citizens to participate in voluntary blood donation shall be carried out in accordance with the current provisions of the State Budget Law, Accounting Law, and other guiding documents.

3. This Circular supplements certain points regarding the preparation, execution, and final accounting of funds for voluntary blood donation mobilization activities of the National Blood Donation Mobilization Steering Committee and the Blood Donation Mobilization Steering Committee at the provincial and centrally governed city levels as follows:

a) Annually, along with the time for preparing the state budget expenditure plan, agencies, organizations, and units entrusted with the task of the Office of the National Blood Donation Mobilization Steering Committee and the Blood Donation Mobilization Steering Committee at the provincial and centrally governed city levels shall be responsible for preparing the state budget expenditure plan and other lawful revenue sources to carry out promotional and mobilization activities for voluntary blood donation, and consolidate these into the regular expenditure budget of the units to submit for review and allocation of funds according to current regulations.

b) ALLOCATION AND ASSIGNMENT OF BUDGET ESTIMATES:

Based on the approved budget, the agencies, organizations, and units entrusted with the task of the Office of the National Blood Donation Mobilization Steering Committee and the Blood Donation Mobilization Steering Committee at the provincial and centrally governed city levels shall ensure funding for voluntary blood donation mobilization activities.

c) Accounting and final accounting of funds:

Funds for voluntary blood donation mobilization activities shall be consolidated into the annual final account of the unit entrusted with the task of the Office of the National Blood Donation Mobilization Steering Committee and the Blood Donation Mobilization Steering Committee at the provincial and centrally governed city levels in accordance with the regulations.

Section III

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 7. Implementation Provisions

This Circular takes effect 45 days from the date of signature and replaces Circular No. 40/2007/TT-BTC dated April 23, 2007, issued by the Ministry of Finance, guiding the content and expenditure standards for promotional and mobilization activities, blood collection, and screening of a unit of blood meeting the standard.

Any difficulties encountered during implementation should be promptly reported to the Ministry of Finance for appropriate amendments and supplements./.