The complicated and prolonged developments of COVID-19 in Da Nang have caused voluntary blood donation activities to be narrowed in terms of scale, leading to a serious decrease in blood reserves. Regular blood donors are staying away due to their fears over COVID-19 infections, thus cutting supply to those who are in dire need of transfusions. Public hospitals across the city are, therefore, facing a dire shortage of blood for emergency and treatment amid the coronavirus rage.

Public hospitals across the city are facing a dire shortage of blood for emergency and treatment amid the coronavirus rage. Police forces are seen participating in voluntary blood donation. Photo: LE HUNG

Serious shortage of blood reserves

Since May 2021, there have been times when the blood reserve at the Da Nang General Hospital, the largest medical facility in the city, was only enough to serve emergency and treatment in a short time.

Doctor Pham Thi Ngoc Anh, Head of the Hematology and Blood Transfusion Department of the hospital, said that the amount of blood usually stored at the hospital is now at an alarming level.

Currently, the amount of blood stored in the blood bank of the hospital can only serve emergency and treatment for only one week.

She complained that many voluntary blood donation campaigns in the city have been cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

It can be seen that the coronavirus resurgence has prevented donors from contributing because they are afraid of accidentally getting into contact with infectees, requiring them to be quarantined or isolated at home, and, in the worst-case scenario, get infected with the disease.

To ensure the enough blood supply for the hospital, the Hematology and Blood Transfusion Department has made an urgent call for blood donations by the general public, including the faithful members of voluntary clubs across the city.

Previously, the ward had implemented a ‘blood exchange’ programme under which if a patient gets a blood transfusion, their relatives will donate some units of blood back to the hospital. However, the daily number of blood units collected during this programme was much lower than expected. Some of the patients are on the waiting list for the right blood type.

Donating life-saving gifts of blood

Blood donation drives are currently being conducted by the Da Nang General Hospital in parallel with the tough COVID-19 prevention and control missions.

“Given a large number of patients admitted to the hospital every day, the blood reserve would run out soon. Patients who are put on the narrow ledge between life and death are in a desperate need of blood. It is high time for those with good health to participate in unpaid blood donation drives to save as many lives as they can. Any healthy citizen who wants to donate life-saving gifts of blood to the needed can go to the Da Nang General Hospital for doing such good deed.”, said doctor Anh.

Giving blood is an act of charity honouring the love of humanity, and the precious blood drops can save many lives, she added.

Over recent times, many nurses and doctors working at this medical establishment have enthusiastically joined in-hospital blood donation activities.

Citizens can make appointments to make blood donations at the helpline of the Hematology and Blood Transfusion Department at 0236.3885300.

Upon arrival at the hospital, blood donors should enter the entrance to the Da Nang General Hospital at 124 Hai Phong and the go to the medical declaration instruction desk. After completing the medical declaration procedures, they will be guided to Hall A for blood collection.

The hospital has set up a strict process for blood donors to avoid SARS-CoV-2 infection. All donors must be sterilised and have a health check and their temperature taken before giving blood.

Reporting by LE HUNG – Translating by A.T