The health sector has called on medical staff and the community to respond to blood donation at the Le hoi Xuan hong (Red Spring) blood donation festival at the headquarter of the Ministry of Health in Hanoi on March 12.
Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen (standing second right) visits donors at a blood donation event at the headquarters of the Ministry of Health in Hanoi. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - The health sector has called on medical staff and thecommunity to respond to blood donation at the Le hoi Xuan hong (Red Spring)blood donation festival at the headquarter of the Ministry of Health in Hanoi onMarch 12.
Jointly organised by the health sector’s Trade Union and the National Instituteof Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT), the event aims to encourage healthstaff and the community to participate in voluntary blood donation and to easethe blood shortage during and after the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday period.
In the context of the Covid-19 outbreak in Hanoi, the amount of blood collectedhas decreased sharply to around 60 units daily, 20 times lower than lastmonth’s average of 1,200 units per day, according to the health ministry.
NIHBT Director Dr Bach Quoc Khanh said 70 blood donation events that wereexpected to collect 12,000 blood units were delayed since the outbreak of COVID-19.
In the current context of the COVID-19, the NIHBT will ensure the bloodcollection and supply with three criteria, including safety for blood donors,safety for patients and safety for medical staff, said Khanh, adding that donorswill be given a mask and hand sanitiser before registering to donate blood.
The health sector said that blood collection currently has met 70 percent ofblood demand for emergency aid and treatment at hospitals across the country./.
Amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus-caused disease, now officially named COVID-19, calls for blood donation have been heard nationwide as hospitals face severe blood shortages.
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About 1,000 trade union members and labourers in the central city of Da Nang took part in a blood donation programme on March 1, an activity to help ease blood shortage for health care after the Lunar New Year holiday.
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Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen (standing second right) visits donors at a blood donation event at the headquarters of the Ministry of Health in Hanoi. (Photo: VNA) 
