The event, organised by the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion in collaboration with Quan Su Pagoda, is calling for volunteers to donate blood. Health experts have called on the community to maintain blood donation activities to ensure blood sources for emergency aid and treatment at hospitals on the occasion of World Blood Donor Day (June 14). As the number of Covid-19 infections rises in Vietnam, donors have stopped visiting blood banks for fear of contracting the virus. President of the Vietnam Red Cross Society and Permanent Deputy Head of the National Steering Committee for Voluntarily Blood Donation Mobilisation, Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu, said that COVID-19 seriously impacted blood donation mobilisation and collection activities. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Blood donors must be in good health, and free of any diseases, including COVID-19. “Each unit of blood is valuable as a lifebuoy for the patient. I want each person to stay healthy so that they can keep a regular blood donation rhythm and to give patients the safest blood source,” said the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion director Bach Quoc Khanh. Khanh said the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected blood donation activities and blood transfusion safety globally as well as in Vietnam. Despite challenges of organising blood donations during the pandemic, millions of people around the world still continue to make efforts to donate blood, including blood for treating COVID-19 patients. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Donors undergo pre-donation temperature screening. It is necessary for donors to follow the Ministry of Health’s 5K message – khau trang (face masks), khu khuan (disinfection), khoang cach (distancing), khong tu tap (no gatherings), and khai bao y te (health declarations). “Over one million blood donations in our country in 2020 and tens of thousands of people who came to donate blood during the COVID-19 outbreak have shown the community's responsibility in helping the health sector overcome the blood shortage. All blood donors were safe and none tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Ensuring the safety of blood donors, medical staff and blood recipients is always the first priority of blood transfusion facilities,” said Khanh. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Volunteers who register to donate blood at Quan Su Pagoda will be divided into small groups to ensure social distancing. They will receive specific time for blood donation via text message. Health experts have called on the community to maintain blood donation activities to ensure blood sources for emergency aid and treatment at hospitals on the occasion of World Blood Donor Day. With the theme “Give blood and keep the world beating”, the event aims to raise global awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products for transfusion and of the critical contribution voluntary, unpaid blood donors make to national health systems. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Each unit of blood is valuable as a lifebuoy for the patient. Each donor should stay healthy so that they can keep a regular blood donation rhythm and to give patients the safest blood source. The World Health Organisation also called on the Government, health sector and blood transfusion services of countries to ensure sufficient resources and facilities to ensure the quality and effectiveness of blood collection. Human blood is still a major element in treatment and giving emergency aid. It plays a major role should disaster happen and is also an important factor in ensuring national defense and security. The Health Ministry has asked hospitals to make plans for economical use of blood and blood products. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Blood transfusion hospitals and centres nation-wide have been facing a difficult and stressful situation since 2020 due to blood shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Bach Quoc Khanh, Director of the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion said many blood donation events had been cancelled or postponed because of the pandemic. The National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion needs an average 1,000 - 1,200 blood units each day to supply 177 hospitals in 26 northern localities. However, the blood supply only meets 60-70 percent, and even under 50 percent of the demand. Some localities have been unable to organise blood donation events for a long time, including Bac Giang and Bac Ninh provinces. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Since many blood donation events were cancelled or postponed because of the pandemic, the amount of donated blood decreases significantly in blood transfusion hospitals and centres nation-wide while demand for blood for medical treatment at both central-level and local-level hospitals is still very high. Currently, there are only 7,500 blood units left at the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, thus without blood donation events to be organised, blood turnover will be at critical level. Khanh said it needed more attention and direction from leaders and officials at all levels to drive more blood donations and that could be managed safely during the pandemic. 
To ensure the safety of blood donors during the pandemic, people are asked to make an appointment through the mobile application of “Hiến máu”, issued by the institute, before visiting the site. After registering to donate blood via the app, there will be a message on the notification section on the app. At the same time, the institute will also send a message at the end of the day to the mobile phone of blood donors who have already registered via the app, to confirm their registration. The blood donors can use the message to present to authorised agencies when travelling on the road if needed. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
The blood donation campaign at Quan Su pagoda is held by the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in collaboration with the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion. Boasting large space, Quan Su is a suitable place to organise the event as it is easier for competent authorities to carry out the social distancing order under the Directive No.16. To date, there has been no substance found to replace blood in treatment. Human blood is still a major element in treatment and giving emergency aid. It plays a major role should disaster happen and is also an important factor in ensuring national defense and security. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Nguyen Cao Giang, aged 45 from Cau Giay district, Hanoi said this is the fifth time he has donated blood. He received support from the blood donation centre, and was informed of the exact date and place to donate blood. Each unit of blood is valuable as a lifebuoy for the patient. Each donor should stay healthy so that they can keep a regular blood donation rhythm and to give patients the safest blood source. The World Health Organisation also called on the Government, health sector and blood transfusion services of countries to ensure sufficient resources and facilities to ensure the quality and effectiveness of blood collection. (Photo: VietnamPlus). 
Blood transfusion hospitals and centres nation-wide have been facing a difficult and stressful situation since 2020 due to blood shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Bach Quoc Khanh, Director of the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, said many blood donation events had been cancelled or postponed because of the pandemic. Some localities have been unable to organise blood donation events for a long time. As a result, the amount of donated blood decreased significantly in blood transfusion hospitals and centres nation-wide while demand for blood for medical treatment at both central-level and local-level hospitals was still very high. Currently, many blood transfusion hospitals and centres can only serve 50-70 percent of blood demand. (Photo: VietnamPlus). 
All of the medical workers at the blood donation site are fully vaccinated, and are tested negative to the SAR-CoV-2 virus to ensure safety for the blood donors. The amount of donated blood decreases significantly in blood transfusion hospitals and centres nationwide while demand for blood for medical treatment at both central and local-level hospitals is still very high as many blood donation events were cancelled or postponed due to the pandemic. Hanoi is being put under strict social distancing measures prescribed in the Government’s Directive 16, with closures of non-essential businesses, halting of public transport, and people not allowed to go outside unless necessary. (Photo: VietnamPlus). 
Blood transfusion hospitals and centres nation-wide have been facing a difficult and stressful situation since 2020 due to blood shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, the Vietnam Red Cross Society has called on those who are healthy enough to donate blood, which is the responsibility and sacred duty of every citizen. The blood transfusion hospitals and centres would ensure the highest safety for blood donors, including spraying disinfectants at blood-donating areas, arranging an appropriate time for each blood donor to limit the number of blood donors arriving at the same time, and reminding the blood donors to strictly comply with 5K messages of the Health Ministry. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
If people need further information on blood donation or an invitation to donate blood, please contact the institute’s Blood Donor Call Centre (please contact 8am - 5pm daily) at the phone number 0976 99 00 66. People can register for platelet donation at 024.37821898. Blood donors are required to install and make health declarations via the Bluezone application when they arrive at the blood donation stations. Many locations in the city are currently taking blood donations from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm every day, including station No 26 Luong Ngoc Quyen Street, Hoan Kiem District, station No 132 Quan Nhan Street, Thanh Xuan District and station No 10, Lane 122 Lang Street, Dong Da District. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
The donation location at Quan Su Pagoda takes place at 7:30 am to 5:00 pm from August 1 to 8. The organising board expects to receive from 120-150 donors every day. Donors are advised to arrive at the location 45 minutes before the closing time to register and check their health before donating blood. Each unit of blood is valuable as a lifebuoy for the patient. Each person should stay healthy so that they can keep a regular blood donation rhythm and to give patients the safest blood source. The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected blood donation activities and blood transfusion safety globally as well as in Vietnam. (Photo: VietnamPlus). 
Volunteers who register to donate blood at the Quan Su Pagoda will be divided into small groups to ensure social distancing. They will receive specific time for blood donation via text message. Currently, many blood transfusion hospitals and centres can only serve 50-70 per cent of blood demand, he added. Hanh trinh do (Red Journey) – the largest annual blood donation campaign, which takes place in July every year, has also met numerous difficulties in collecting donated blood this year due to the pandemic. It is calculated that the campaign now only receives 30 per cent of what it would usually collect. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
It is now a challenge for medical and healthcare centers in Vietnam, having to fight and prevent the spread of Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, in tandem with minimising the shortage of blood needed to treat many ailments. Khanh said blood donation needs more attention and direction from leaders and officials at all levels to drive more blood donations and that could be managed safely during the pandemic. The blood transfusion hospitals and centres would ensure the highest safety for blood donors, including spraying disinfectants at blood-donating areas and arranging an appropriate time for each blood donor to limit the number of blood donors arriving at the same time. (Photo: VietnamPlus) VNA
