For patients in need of blood transfusions, Tet is a worrisome time of year as hospitals are low on blood supply.
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| These two small patients are in desperate need of blood as part of their cancer treatment. |
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| This mother worries about her child’s situation as he is not getting enough blood. |
At the National Hospital of Pediatrics Cancer Department, families of patients worry that their children cannot get blood transfusions as necessary in the coming days.
According to a mother who is taking care of her baby at the hospital, the blood supply for her son has been cut in half over the last couple weeks. “My son is suffering from blood cancer,” she says. “He used to get enough blood but recently his supply has been cut in half. The hospital has informed us that they are in short supply of blood now and must put priority to emergency cases.”
She said that her sick son’s health is becoming worse and he is uncomfortable all day.
Another patient who has been staying at the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion for three continuous years says that she and other blood-needy patients always have to struggle with pain every Tet as they cannot get enough blood, “Some even have to die because of blood shortage,” she said.
According to doctor Nguyen Anh Tri, head of the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, blood is always scarce at all times because they are only getting some 30% of the demand.
“Tet festival is, however, the most difficult time for us because blood donators are busy preparing for the holiday and cannot come to us, he said. “Moreover, we always receive more emergency cases, especially traffic victims, which boost the demand.”
The National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion is now supplying blood for about 65 hospitals in 18 cities and provinces in the north. However, doctor Tri says that he has only enough blood to supply for these hospital in one day.
Doctor Do Minh Cam from the National Hospital of Pediatrics says that the hospital needs a lot of blood everyday for patients and they always have to put priority for the most serious cases. “We sometimes even have to ask our staffs and patients’ relatives to donate blood and exchange with one another to get the right blood group for the patients,” he shared. “Sometimes we cannot cure a patient because of blood shortage.”
At present, the voluntary blood donors in Vietnam are mainly students who make up for 75%. According to doctor Cam, more contribution from the whole community is needed to address the problem.
Meanwhile, doctor Nguyen Tri Anh wants to send a message to the whole community that though everybody is busy preparing for the Tet holiday, we should not forget the unfortunate patients who are in desperate need for blood to survive.
