The RD has always had blood banks. The main difference here is that they are run as a business module, as opposed to a storage facility.
In other parts of the globe, the blood bank refers to the storage area within a particular clinic or hospital, or in close proximity to such.
Here in RD, it is actually another physical location. There are both lower and higher end, although they are supposed to meet the same standards for operation. Some locations seem to be run out of a residence style structure, others a storefront, and the more modern ones as laboratory facilities. Some maintain normal standard business hours, others are open 24/7.
To keep this in touch with the thread line, and respond to the second posting by bienamor, that could have been, and was probably the case for many pre-covid19. Covid19 has changed everything in a short period of time (agree with or not), including the regulations on donating and administering blood. This is not just for the blood banks, but the clinics and hospitals as well. My employee's family member had several members who would have been able to donate to the patient, as they are B+ as well. They were informed by the private clinic that because of the new strict measures and processes in place, even their compatible blood for a family member would take up to two weeks to be tested, cleared and approved. Not as easy as taking blood from one, and passing it on to another.
Obviously a person needing emergency surgery can not wait two weeks, so yes, the blood bank is necessary......regardless of cost.
Keep this in mind when a person tells you that they are in need of money to purchase blood, for a family member who needs surgery.
While some times it may be a scam, more often than not, it is the truth. You are the ultimate judge of the type of persons you maintain in your life, and whether you can trust them or not.