Deputy Chief of Mission for the US Mission in Việt Nam Melissa Bishop donates blood in an event held on June 13 to celebrate the World Blood Donor Day. VNA/VNS Photo Minh Quyết

HÀ NỘI — With blood donations always needed, the director of the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion says more should be done to encourage people to give blood. 

Nguyễn Hà Thanh has stressed the need to ensure support for blood donors in terms of equal access to information and opportunities, as well as gifts for them, in order to promote voluntary donations.

The voluntary blood donation campaign has been rolled out in Việt Nam since the 1990s, and promoted since the Prime Minister decided to establish the National Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation on February 23, 2008.

More than 1.4 million units of blood are collected each year, basically meeting the blood demand for medical emergencies and treatment.

Thanks to blood donation drives and changes in public mindset, there have been no blood shortages reported during summer and Tết (Lunar New Year) festivals, Thanh said, noting that the NIHBT is working to open more blood donation sites nationwide in order to facilitate the movements.

To encourage blood donors, the Ministry of Health has regularly updated and issued regulations on their rights and interests, notably Circular No. 17/2020/TT-BYT saying blood donors get free medical checkups and financial support, and are honoured in line with regulations.

At a recent meeting of the committee, many delegates suggested increasing the support for blood donors and that gift values should be equal.

Officially designated as an annual event by the World Health Assembly in 2005, World Blood Donor Day (June 14) provides a special opportunity to celebrate and thank voluntary blood donors around the world for their gift of blood and has become a major focus for action towards achieving universal access to safe blood transfusion, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The slogan for 2023 World Blood Donor Day campaign is “Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often.”  It focuses on patients requiring life-long transfusion support and underlines the role every single person can play, by giving the valuable gift of blood or plasma. It also highlights the importance of giving blood or plasma regularly to create a safe and sustainable supply of blood and blood products that can be always available, all over the world, so that all patients in need can receive timely treatment. — VNS