Vietnam Meets 60% of Blood Demand for Medical Treatment, Calling for Donation

Vietnam needs about 1.8 million blood units for medical treatment each year, of which 60% is met, meaning that more lives will be saved if the number of blood donors increases, the Lao Dong newspaper said August 10 citing government statistics. In the past 20 years since Vietnam began calling for blood donation, hospitals nationwide have received 8.24 million blood units. The volume includes 940,869 blood units in 2013 alone, which is seven times as high as that in 1994 when the campaign was first kick started. There are now five region-based blood transfusion centers, ten zone-based blood transfusion centers, and about 80 facilities receiving and storing screened blood. Earlier in July, Vietnam’s southern hub of Ho Chi Minh City raised a total of 100,000 blood units in the year to date, meeting 46% of the full-year target. Meanwhile, in 2014, the country raised 1 million blood units, 90% of which were donated. However, the amount only met 50% of the demand for emergency and treatment. The 100,000 blood units equal to 100,000 pints. The average adult has 10 pints of blood in his or her body. As of end 2014, the city had 12.87 million people. (Lao Dong – Labor Aug 10 p2)