A blood donor has a blood sample taken at the HCM City Blood Donation Centre. — VNS Photo Văn Châu

HCM CITY — The HCM City People’s Committee is calling for blood donation since hospitals face a severe shortage following the lengthy social distancing order.

The HCM City Hospital of Haematology and Blood Transfusion said some blood donation organisers were forced to cancel voluntary campaigns causing a significant depletion in stocks at the blood bank.

The fear of COVID-19 infection has also discouraged people from donating blood.

Many university students, usually a major demographic among blood donors, have not yet returned from their hometowns following the enforced holidays, worsening the situation.

The People's Committee has urged the city's Steering Committee to call for voluntary blood donation by the public and government employees now that the social distancing campaign has ended.

To increase the efficiency of blood donation, it instructed the Humanitarian Blood Donation Centre and Haematology Blood Transfusion Hospital to enhance communication by directly texting and calling blood donors to tell them about the schedule.

It also ordered blood donation organisers to ensure they take preventive measures such as staggering donation hours, dividing donors into groups of 10-20 and measuring the body temperature of all blood donors before they enter.

Blood donors must wear masks, bring medical declarations and maintain a minimum communication distance of two metres, it added. — VNS