HÀ NỘI — More than 500 Buddhist monks, nuns and followers registered for blood donation while 150 people put their names on a list of organ donors at a festival in Hà Nội yesterday. 

The blood and organ donation registration festival was jointly held by the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRC), the Vietnam Buddhist Academy (VBA) and the Vietnam National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion.

Most Venerable Thích Thanh Quyết, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS)’s Executive Council and head of the VBA, said from now on, blood and organ donation will form part of the academy’s regular activities. 

In his remarks, Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hòa Bình reviewed the over 2,000-year history of Buddhism in Việt Nam, as well as the religion’s companionship with the nation. 

He suggested the Ministry of Health, the VRC and the VBS maintain and roll out the programme at all Buddhist facilities nationwide, and emphasised the need to step up communication work in order to raise public awareness of blood and organ donation. 

Currently, Việt Nam has a high demand for organ donors. As of July 2019, 25,000 people have registered to donate organs, tissue and body parts after their death. So far, more than 3,000 organ transplants have been conducted. — VNS