HÀ NỘI — Thanks to active support from donors through blood donation campaigns across the country, concerns over blood shortages for the Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday have been eased.

Bạch Quốc Khánh, director of the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Tranfussion (NIHBT), said there were 16,000 units of blood in reserve, of which 40 per cent were blood type O.

This amount of blood would enough for use until three weeks after the Tết holiday, he said. He attributed the result to great efforts from health facilities and response from the public.

Tết, the largest celebration of the year for Vietnamese, is often marred with high number of traffic accidents and other types of injuries. During the seven-day celebration last year, the country saw 267 traffic accidents that killed 203 with hundred others badly hurted. 

Earlier, in January, the institute has called on people to donate blood as the institute is in dire need of blood type O.

Specifically, on January 5, there were only 6,018 units in reserve. Of these, 1,010 units were blood type O, accounting for 16.8 per cent of the total blood.

Meanwhile, the institute needs on average at least 1,500 blood units per day to meet the demand for blood transfusion for patients at 180 hospitals 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.

It meant that the blood type O left in storage could not be used for two days.

Responding to the call from NIHBT, thousands of people have volunteered to donate blood at the institute.

In January alone, 38,000 blood units had been donated, surpassing the target of 25,000 units set by the institute.

Bạch Quốc Khánh, head of the blood institute, said that blood scarcity usually occurs after Tết (Lunar New Year).

Thus, the 2018 Pink Spring Festival, a blood donation festival, will be organised in an effort to address a shortage of blood for medical treatment at year’s end, which kicks off on March 3, will last one week instead of one or two days as usual.

It is hoped that between 1,000 and 2,000 units of blood will be collected each day at the event, he said. — VNS