In an effort to ensure sufficient quantity and blood products to serve the emergency and treatment of patients on the occasion of the Lunar New Year 2022, most hospitals citywide has actively called for the cooperation of the whole community, organizations, units and individuals participating in blood donation to save lives.

Medical staff of Da Nang Hospital participate in blood donation to save patients. Photo: L.H

Reserving a sufficient amount of blood during Tet

According to Dr Tran Thi Khanh Ngoc, Deputy Director of Da Nang Hospital, to ensure the reserve blood supply for emergency and patient treatment during the Lunar New Year, Da Nang Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation has assigned the municipal Youth Union and Da Nang Red Cross Society cooperates with districts and Da Nang Hospital to actively mobilize organizations and individuals to donate blood.

Especially, from January 10 to 16, Da Nang Hospital received nearly 1,300 units of blood in response to the XIV ‘Red Sunday’ blood donation campaign organized by Tien Phong Newspaper. Thanks to the attention and urging from many months ago, the estimated amount of blood for treatment before, during and after the upcoming Lunar New Year is about 1,500 units, enough to meet the treatment for patients.

As shared by Doctor Le Van Hung, Head of Laboratory, Da Nang Oncology Hospital, the hospital uses 300-400 units of blood each month on average to treat cancer patients. However, during Tet, the number of inpatients has decreased significantly, leading to the drop in the amount of blood used at the hospital to only about 100 units.

"The prolonged COVID-19 has made it difficult to call for voluntary blood donations, so the hospital actively coordinated with associations, mass organizations and voluntary blood donation clubs to call for the cooperation. For the time being, the hospital has stocked more than 100 units of blood to treat patients during Tet. In case of an emergency or need a rare blood source, the hospital will contact the Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Da Nang Hospital for receiving support," said Dr Hung

Promoting the spirit of solidarity

Every year, in addition to numerous blood donation clubs, the trade union of the health sector, doctors, officials and medical staff citywide have always actively participated in voluntary blood donation activities. However, the current complicated situation of COVID-19 in Da Nang has caused faces many difficulties and obstacles for blood collection.

Meanwhile, the reserved blood is easy to run out due to the large number of patients admitted to the hospital every day. Therefore, local hospitals have expected people, agencies and units to maintain the blood donation schedule as planned and actively propagate and mobilize officials, employees and relatives to participate in blood donation. Thereby, contributing to stabilizing the blood volume for emergency and treatment in the locality.

Moreover, the Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Da Nang Hospital has also regularly organized blood collection after office hours and even on weekdays to seek support from blood donation organizations so that the reserve blood source is always guaranteed.

Individuals coming to donate blood are disseminated information, measured body temperature, equipped with personal protective equipment and have to make medical declarations, sanitiser hand, as well as strictly implement 5K regulations. At the same time, hospitals assign people to closely supervise the blood donation process to ensure the flow of people, distance and limit gatherings. On top of that,  experienced blood donors are also encouraged to register online at clubs and blood donation coordination groups.

The Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Da Nang Hospital regularly updates the monthly blood donation schedule on its Facebook page. In addition, organizations and individuals can register to schedule blood donations via the hotline 0236.3885300 of the department. Blood donors coming to Da Nang Hospital located at 124 Hai Phong Street head to the medical declaration desk and scan the QR code. After completing the medical declaration procedure, you will be guided into the hall to donate blood.

Reporting by LE HUNG- Translating by T.VY