More than 400,000 units of blood were collected across the country in the first half of this year, according to a report released on August 9 by the National Steering Board for Voluntary Blood Donation.
The Central Highland province of Dak Nong and the northern provinces of Ha Nam and Nam Dinh have successfully fulfilled their blood donation targets.
Blood drives have contributed significantly to easing Vietnam’s blood shortage.
Currently, the country’s blood supply cannot meet the high demand in hospitals and a target has been set to obtain about 450,000 units of blood in the second half of the year.
According to Nguyen Anh Tri, Head of the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT), there should be more information disseminated to raise public awareness of the significance of blood donation, which is not harmful to one’s health.
The national steering board should work closely with relevant agencies and localities to promote blood drives, particularly the Red Summer Blood Donor festival in 2011, he said.