HÀ NỘI — There are nearly 7,000 reserved blood units in the blood bank of the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) that can only serve the emergency and treatment demand of 170 northern hospitals for the next five days.

The NIHBT said the demand for blood for treatment in the northern provinces, including Hà Nội City, is increasing remarkably, while the number of blood donors had declined considerably because voluntary donors, mainly students, had gone home for the summer vacation.

The institute needs some 1,500 to 1,800 blood units daily to serve the emergency and treatment demand of 170 hospitals in the north. However, since the start of June, the institute had collected only 300 to 800 blood units daily, which met less than 50 per cent of the demand of hospitals.

“Hospitals usually face a blood shortage during the summer when volunteers and students go home on vacation,” NIHBT deputy director Phạm Tuấn Dương said.

Dương said that more than 90 per cent of collected blood came from volunteers, mainly students and young people. Many large cities such as Hà Nội, Cần Thơ, HCM City, Khánh Hòa and Gia Lai were facing an alarming situation.

“The blood shortage will worsen, especially in August and September,” NIHBT deputy director Phạm Tuấn Dương said.

“We call organisations, individuals and the community, especially companies and organsations, to join hands with the health sector by organising blood donation events for employees and residents at their workplaces or residential areas,” Dương said.

The institute has also organised blood donation camps daily from 7:30am to 7:00pm, including Saturday and Sunday, at Phạm Văn Bạch Street, Cầu Giấy District, Hà Nội. — VNS