(VOVWORLD) - Lam Dong province used to receive blood from the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion. Now it has enough blood for emergency cases at local hospitals and still can supply thousands of blood units to other healthcare institutions.
 People in Lam Dong province participate in a blood donation movement at the provincial general hospital. |
Over the past 8 years, every two weeks K’Lanh in Dam Rong district comes to Lam Dong provincial general hospital for hemodialysis. K’Lanh suffers from end-stage renal disease and her life depends on blood donors.
“I’m grateful for voluntary blood donors who give patients like me enough blood for hemodialysis,” said K’Lanh.
Like K’Lanh, Nguyen Van Tai in Da Lat City has been undergoing hemodialysis at the provincial hospital for 6 years. He says that there’s no more waiting because the hospital now has enough stored blood.
“Thanks to all the donors who give their blood, patients like me can stay alive,” Tai is moved to say.
With the motto “A drop of blood can save a life”, Hoang Huu Huy in Da Lat City has donated blood 15 times. Each year he donates blood twice and has has joined a club of blood donors.
“Blood donation doesn’t affect one’s health so I hope young people will respond to blood donation movements. I’m glad my blood has helped many people,” said Huy.
Previously every year Lam Dong only mobilized about 5,000 blood units per year. Last year the volume increased to more than 16,000 units. 11,000 units were used for local emergency cases. The rest was donated to the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion.
Do Hoang Tuan, Chairman of the provincial Red Cross Society, said the blood donation movement has grown in both quality and quantity. On average Lam Dong holds 50 voluntary blood donations each year.
“Blood donation drives have been organized in Da Lat City and several districts. They have even spread to remote ethnic minority hamlets,” said Tuan.
Le Lam, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, says Lam Dong no longer experiencs blood shortages because local donation programs have attracted thousands of donors.
“The number of blood donors in Lam Dong has been on the rise, and blood supplies are more plentiful, especially during Tet holiday and summer vacation,” he said.