No blood donors at the NIHBT’s blood donation sites (Photo courtesy of the institute)Hanoi (VNS/VNA) – With Tet (Lunar
New Year) approaching together with the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic,
to the National Institute of Hematology and Blood
Transfusion (NIHBT) have decreased.
As
many as 30 organisations have requested to cancel planned blood donations
involving more than 8,000 units of blood.
From
January 29 to February 1, the institute received just over 1,300 units of
blood, while the normal need for blood supply is 1,200 – 1,500 units.
The
whole week before Tet holiday,
from February 1 to 7, the institute expects to receive only 3,000 blood
units.
As
of 9am on February 2, the institute’s blood reserve was only 7,500 units. Red
blood cells and platelets are the most severely deficient, seriously
affecting the provision of 177 medical facilities in 28 provinces and cities
that cover approximately 41 million people.
Previously,
on December 7 last year, the Vietnam Health Union issued official letter No 379
to the grassroots trade union on voluntary blood donation. Responding to this
action, health authorities in many provinces, cities and hospitals in Hanoi
planned to organise blood donation drives. However, new COVID-19 outbreaks have
forced these organisations to prioritise pandemic prevention.
Bach
Quoc Khanh, director of the NIHBT, said: “The pressure to receive and supply
blood before, during and after Tet is
always a constant concern for blood transfusion facilities. With the current
plan of receiving blood, the institute still lacks about 13,000 blood units to
provide emergency and treatment before, during and after .”
The
NIHBT is seeking people with good health to donate blood, especially those with
blood type O and A, from now to the end of this month.
At
blood donation points, the NIHBT strictly implements anti-pandemic
measures according to the Ministry of Health’s guidance to ensure safety
for donors, recipients and medical staff.
Blood
can be donated at the NIHBT on Pham Van Bach Street in Hanoi’s Cau Giay
District from 8am to 8pm all days including Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.
Other
fixed blood donation points in Hanoi are at No 26 Luong Ngoc Quyen in Hoan Kiem
District, No 132 Quan Nhan in Thanh Xuan District and No 10, Lane 122 Lang
Street in Dong Da District, from 8am to 12am and 1pm to 5pm from Monday to
Saturday./.
Source: VietnamPlus
