More people volunteer to donate blood

As Viet Nam observes the National Voluntary Blood Donation Day today, major localities have reported a surge in donations this year, citing successful awareness raising campaigns.

In the capital city, more than 40,000 units of blood have been donated in the first three months of the year, says Ngo Tien Dung, head of Ha Noi Red Cross Association.


This marks 33 per cent of the annual target, he said, adding that more than 120,000 blood units were donated last year.

Confirming a year-on-year increase, the Ha Noi People's Committee Vice Chairman Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc said the blood donated so far meets more than 60 per cent of patients' demand.

"This improvement was made possible by a successful blood donation campaign," said Ngoc.

People from all over the city started donating blood on April 1, in the build up to the National Voluntary Blood Donation Day.

Saving lives

Over the weekend, people in other cities and provinces flocked to donate blood to support the cause.

More than 1,500 officials, youth union members, soldiers, policemen, civil servants and workers in the southern city of Can Tho donated blood yesterday, responding to the message: "A drop of blood saves a life."

The city aims to collect 26,000 blood units this year. It reported heartening responses to blood donation drives during the Tet (Lunar New Year) and Spring festivals earlier this year.

In the northern province of Ninh Binh, nearly 3,000 people donated 1,224 blood units in the past week.

Nho Quan District led the provincial drive with 276 units. District authorities said the local Red Cross chapter's message about the significance and responsibility of making blood nations received a positive response with more people coming forward.

The province's target for this year is 5,000 units.

Officials in the Cao Lanh City of Dong Thap Province, said more than 1,000 people have so far registered to donate blood; and over 300 blood units were collected from a third of the respondents last Friday.

Last year, it had more than 28,000 blood donors, and targets an increase of 10,000 this year, according to the provincial Blood Donation Steering Committee.

The northern province of Ha Nam has reported the most significant increase in blood donations this year at 3,760, compared to a total of 4,600 for the whole of last year.

Local officials say this has not only met the province's needs but helped ease shortages in neighbouring provinces.