HÀ NỘI – The National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) has called on people to donate blood as the institute is in dire need of blood type O.

Last Thursday, the institute said that there were only 1,295 units of blood type O left in storage, which could be used up in just two more days.

The institute needs on average at least 1,500 blood units per day for about 180 patients in Hà Nội and the northern region. Blood type O must account for at least 45 per cent of total blood, equivalent to 700 units per day.

Hundreds of people have volunteered to donate blood at the institute over the past weekend.

Three days after the call from NIHBT, the amount of blood type O has increased by 7.3 per cent, equivalent to 859 units as of Sunday.

According to NIHBT’s Blood Storage and Distribution Department, as of Sunday, as many as 8,153 units of blood are in the institute’s storage, 26 per cent of which are of type O. However, this amount can currently meet only half of blood transfusion demand.

Bạch Quốc Khánh, head of the blood institute, said that blood scarcity usually occurs from July to September and months close to Tết (Lunar New Year).

People can donate their blood at the NIHBT on Phạm Văn Bạch Street, Cầu Giấy District, Hà Nội from 8am to 10pm or go to their nearest blood donation centre by checking www.nihbt.org.vn/Home/DiemHM. — VNS