(VOVWORLD) - Vietnam celebrated “All people voluntary blood donation day” on Sunday. Over the past several years, the blood donation drive has spread nationwide. In HCM City, the campaign has garnered a strong response from local residents including those with rare blood groups.
 (Photo: Kim Dung/VOV) |
Cao Minh Hai of Ho Chi Minh City, who has the AB Rh negative blood, the rarest blood type in Vietnam, has joined a group of 40 people with the same blood type, to save whoever in need. Everyone in the group has donated blood more than 20 times.
40-year-old Nguyen Anh Minh of Binh Tan district, upon receiving a text message at any time of the day, is ready to go to the Ho Chi Minh City Hematology and Blood Transfusion Hospital to donate 250 milliliters of platelets.
 Minh always encourages other people to donate blood |
Minh, who has the rare blood type B Rh negative, has donated blood more than 60 times. He also created an app to connect volunteers who are ready to donate their rare blood.
"The lower availability of rare Rh negative blood is largely due to a shortage of blood donors. If more people donated blood, more of them would be found to have a rare blood type,' said Minh.
The Blood Transfusion Center of Cho Ray Hospital supplies Cho Ray Hospital and 62 other hospitals with 500-700 units of blood per day, of which only 0.1% are the rare Rh negative blood type. The rate of regular blood donors at the center is 66%, quite high compared to other blood transfusion centers.
Pham Le Nhat Minh, Deputy Director of the Center, said: "We’re truly appreciative of the blood donors. They know they have a rare blood type but are ready to donate blood to people in need. That’s very commendable. We urge more people to participate in voluntary blood donation."
Many blood donation volunteer groups in Ho Chi Minh City pay their own travel and accommodation expenses when they go to another province to donate blood. This generosity has saved many lives and spread the spirit of love throughout society.