Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, voluntary blood donation movement in Da Nang has been still maintained, aimed at ensuring an adequate blood supply for local hospitals’ emergency and treatment needs.

Officials and men from Da Nang-based military units joining in a voluntary blood donation programme in 2022. Photo: LE VAN THOM

The whole city currently has 7 blood donation clubs, teams and groups under the municipal Red Cross Society with a combined total of more than 23,000 members across the city who are always ready to meet all needs of blood donation to save lives. Even in the peak periods of COVID-19, the Standing Board of the Da Nang Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation still kept in regular contact with hospitals in Da Nang.

Whenever there is a need of blood for emergency and treatment, the Standing Board of the Da Nang Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation immediately informs to voluntary blood donation clubs, teams, and groups in a bid to promptly donate blood for emergencies and patients in hospitals.

Over the past years, many collectives and individuals in Da Nang have actively participated in voluntary blood donation activities.

Among them is the ‘Mau Nong Song De Yeu Thuong’ (Emergency Blood - Live to Love) Club. It has taken the lead voluntary blood donation clubs, teams and groups in Da Nang about the implementation of voluntary blood donation programmes in recent years.

The club currently has more than 9,200 members. In the first four months of this year, its members donated nearly 1,000 units of blood and 326 units of machine platelets.

Leader of the ‘Mau Nong Song De Yeu Thuong’ Club Huynh Thi Thanh Tuyen said that she always compiled a list of members with their phone numbers, addresses, blood types and their recent blood donation.

“It is fun that whenever there is a need for blood, just one phone call, there will be a member ready to donate blood” added Tuyen.

Meanwhile, the Thanh Khe District chapter of the Da Nang Red Cross Society has many times led districts in the city’s voluntary blood donation movement. Since early this year, the unit has mobilised people to donate 913 units of blood.

Chairman of the Thanh Khe District chapter of the Da Nang Red Cross Society Le Van Hai informed that his unit has actively become involved in raising public awareness about the purpose, meaning and benefits of donating blood, so more and more people have seen participating in donating blood.

Tra My Hanh, a small trader in Hai Chau 1 Ward, Hai Chau District, has donated blood 54 times, of which she has donated blood to use for emergency cases more than 10 times.

Not only in Da Nang, Hanh has also participated in donating blood to save lives of patients at the Vinh Duc Hospital in Dien Ban Town, Quang Nam Province.

In particular, all 3 members of Mr. Nguyen Dat Hung's family, residing in Xuan Ha Ward, Thanh Khe District, always enthusiastically participate in blood donation to save lives.

Mr. Hung expressed “Donating blood is a noble gesture for the community. Giving blood can be a life-saving action, but it may also have benefits for the donor”.

The office of the municipal Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation said that, over the past two years, despite many difficulties due to COVID-19, voluntary blood donation movement in Da Nang has been maintained regularly. In 2021 alone, 28,567 units of blood were collected, representing 113% of the year’s plan.

Mr. Doan Van Hoa, the Chief of Office of the municipal Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation revealed that, in the coming years, the Steering Committee will concentrate on building, replicating, and promoting the effectiveness of voluntary blood donation clubs, teams, and groups in order to increase the volume of reserve blood source, as well as raise public awareness about the collection of 350ml of blood in a unit instead of 250ml.

Reporting by LVT - Translating by M.DUNG