The HCM City humanitarian blood donation centre has called for blood donations before the Tết holiday to ensure sufficient supply for emergencies and treatment during the upcoming Lunar New Year. – VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY – The HCM City has called for blood donations before the Tết holiday to ensure sufficient supply for emergencies and treatment during the upcoming Lunar New Year.

Director of the HCM City Humanitarian Blood Donation Centre Trần Thị Thấm said that during the Lunar New Year holiday, each year on average the city’s blood bank will store 10,000 to 12,000 units to supply local hospitals, and the storage amount is the same this year.

However, the demand for blood has increased in recent days, especially for rare blood types (Rh-negative), while the reserve of rare blood is limited.

The number of Rh-negative blood bags that the HCMC blood bank has to distribute daily accounts for more than one per cent of the supply.

The city’s blood bank needs 2,000 more units of blood for emergencies and treatment during the Tết holiday.

Locals can donate blood at city facilities by January 26 and schedule appointments via giotmauvang.org.

Some blood donation locations in the city include the blood transfusion haematology hospital in District 5, the sponsoring association for poor patients in District 3 and humanitarian blood donation center in Tân Bình District,

However, Chợ Rẫy hospital in District 5 will still accept blood and platelet donations during the Tết holidays. – VNS