People donate blood at the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion in Hà Nội. — Photo courtesy of the NIHBT

HÀ NỘI — The National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) called for more people to donate blood from now until the end of Tết (Lunar New Year), especially people with blood type O and blood type A, to ensure the demand for blood for emergencies and treatment during the holiday.

Dr. Trần Ngọc Quế, director of the NIHBT’s National Blood Centre, said: “When Tết approaches, the demand for blood is always higher because patients need blood transfusions to be healthy enough to return home to celebrate Tết with their families. The NIHBT still needs about 10,000 units of blood to meet the blood demand before and during Tết."

The National Blood Centre needs to receive between 40,000 to 42,000 units of blood and 5,000 units of apheresis platelets monthly. In the first two months of 2024 alone, the institute needs at least 80,000 units of blood to supply more than 180 medical facilities in 31 provinces and cities in the North, including about 40,000 units of blood type O. Although there has been preparation and planning to receive blood in advance, the current results are lower than what is required, according to Dr. Quế.

The reason is that in recent days, harsh and cold weather has occurred in many regions in the North, causing many blood donation sites to not achieve the expected results. Meanwhile, the NIHBT still has to continue to provide 1,000 units of blood each week to Cần Thơ City and the Mekong Delta provinces. Some other central provinces, such as Thanh Hóa, Nghệ An and Hà Tĩnh, also failed to receive blood as planned and asked for support from the National Blood Centre.

The NIHBT is striving to organise more blood donation events before Tết which falls on February 8. At the same time, the institute also transferred medical facilities to receive blood in the provinces of Đắk Lắk, Đắk Nông and the southwest region, and then transfer the collected blood to Hà Nội to perform screening tests, prepare and supply blood products back to the southwest region. It is expected that from January 30 to February 5, the institute will receive more than 2,200 blood units in Cần Thơ City and Hậu Giang, An Giang and Đồng Tháp provinces.

The shortage of blood is also due to a decrease in the number of blood donors in recent days at the HCM City Blood Transfusion and Hematology Hospital in HCM City which is providing blood products to more than 150 hospitals in the city and southwestern provinces. — VNS