10:04, 10/04/2019

Blood donation expanded

The blood donation campaign used to receive from hundreds to a thousand units of blood given annually 15 years ago...

The blood donation campaign in Khanh Hoa Province used to receive from hundreds to a thousand units of blood given annually 15 years ago. The figure has increased to 15,000 to 20,000 units of blood in the 5 recent years. Khanh Hoa has become one of the 10 leading localities in the blood donation campaign nationwide.
 
Generous blood donors
 
The blood donation to save life has become widespread in Khanh Hoa Province. More than 400 Youth Union members, young people, public sector staff and local residents in Khanh Hoa have recently joined the National Blood Donation Day 2019.
 
Tang Van Lu, a security guard who regularly works at night, Nha Trang City, is willing to donate blood when in need and feels so happy that he could help patients. This is the 8th time he has donated blood. “Simulated by a friend of mine, I donated blood for the first time. Since then, I have joined the campaign more often. I think whenever I’m healthy, I would like to share blood to save lives,” he says.
 

 

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Youth Union members donate blood on April 7.
 
 
The blood donation campaign has reached remote areas. Pi Nang Thi Huyen, Khanh Vinh District has joined blood donation 12 times. Her good deed has inspired many ethnic minority people to donate blood. Pi Nang Thi Huyen says, “The voluntary blood donation is vitally important as it helps save lives. Many of my neighbors, friends and colleagues have responded to the life-saving blood donation. I have mobilized 16 people to donate blood so far.”
 
Thanks to many blood donors like Pi Nang Thi Huyen, blood donors District have increased by 7-8 times in Khanh Vinh District and it has become one of the leading communities in the blood donation campaign in the 10 recent years with more than 800 blood donors, donating 700 units of blood on average every year, accounting for 50% of ethnic minority population.
 
Widespread expansion
 
Launched in 1996, the blood donation campaign has expanded significantly with increasing donors. The campaign has expanded throughout districts and towns, especially remote areas with the participation of armed forces in Khanh Hoa. Units of blood donated have increased gradually by the time.
 
Luu Thi Bich Huong, Khanh Hoa Red Cross Vice-Chairperson says the blood has increased by 20 times compared with 15 years ago, meeting 99% of the blood demand for medical treatment and emergency. 10 blood donation clubs have been founded with 12,000 volunteers. 107 blood donation drives were been held, collecting 19,200 units of blood in 2018 alone. 30 blood donation drives were organized with more than 5,000 units of blood given in the first 3 months of 2019.
 
In spite of scientific advance, there is no substitute for blood. It means blood cannot be made or manufactured. Generous blood donors are the only source of blood for those in need of a blood transfusion. Over the past years, Khanh Hoa has effectively held various activities to improve health care for local residents in Khanh Hoa Province and in Vietnam, according to Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu, Vietnam Red Cross Chairperson.
 
From now to the end of this year, 90 more blood donation drives, collecting estimated 15,000 units of blood, are expected to take place in Khanh Hoa Province, striving to get 1.5% of the population involved in blood donation and 65% of repeated blood donors.
 
C. Dan
Translated by N.T