“Giving red blood drops means presenting life”

On the last day of 2018, we were present at the Internal Medicine - Pediatric Department (the Bac Giang provincial Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital). We met Diep Tu Dat (born in 2016) from Hai Cu village, Quy Son commune (Luc Ngan district) under treatment here.

Employees of the Bac Giang Power Company donate blood in response to the blood donation campaign for the Lunar New Year 2019.

Leo Thi Nam, Dat’s mother, said: "Dat suffers from hemolytic anemia so he must have got blood transfusions since he was11 months old. I take him to the hospital once every 20 days." For Nguyen Ngoc Ha (born in 2010) from Ha hamlet, Long Son commune (Son Dong district), for nearly 8 years, once in every 20 days, she and her mother have taken on a bus to the hospital for treatment and blood transfusion. 

Talking to Ngoc Thi Hien, Ha's mother, we were told that “During the hospital stay, thanks to the humanitarian blood drops, her living opportunity is extended. However, every year, blood is often scarce during the Lunar New Year. There were times she had to wait for blood so that it took us a longer time. ”

According to doctor Han Manh Cuong, head of the Planning - General Department (the provincial Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital), since the beginning of 2018, the hospital has conducted blood transfusions for more than 1,000 patients with hemolytic anemia, mainly small children receiving outpatient treatment. 

Blood sources are transmitted according to the regimen provided weekly by the National Institute of Hematology & Blood Transfusion. Blood supplies are ensured for pregnant women and child patients who are in an emergency, but in some cases when there are many emergency patients at the same time, the hospital may not have enough blood for treatment.

Responding to the voluntary blood donation campaign for the Lunar New Year - the Red Spring Festival 2019, recently, at the Vietnam - Korea Technology Vocational College, the provincial Steering Committee for Blood Donation Mobilization has organized a blood donation festival, attracting 350 people. In the morning, 248 blood units were received and directly transferred to the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, contributing to the blood reserves to cure patients.

Ensuring blood reserves

Students of the Vietnam-Korea Technology Vocational College make voluntary blood donations.

Over the past 10 years, Bac Giang province has been leading the northern region in the voluntary blood donation movement, receiving nearly 10,000 units of blood on average each year. According to Ma Thi Thin Nga, Chairwoman of the provincial Red Cross Society, besides organizing large-scale blood donation campaigns, many localities, universities and colleges have been creative in mobilizing blood donation by establishing clubs that call for blood donation. Thus, they have built an abundant and safe blood bank, easing pressure on medical facilities in emergency and treatment. 

In order to honor the noble acts of the volunteers who give the gift of life to patients, every year, the provincial Steering Committee for Blood Donation Mobilization rewards hundreds of outstanding collectives, families, and individuals in the blood donation movement. 

Typically, the Ho Cong family in My An commune (Luc Ngan district) has donated blood for 90 times; Tien Luc commune (Lang Giang district) has five families participating in voluntary blood donation. Many typical blood donors are Vi The Son, Chairman of the province’s standby blood donation club, who has donated blood 35 times; Than Thi Thu Thuy, Secretary of the Party Committee of Tho Xuong ward (Bac Giang city) and Tran Dinh Hieu, deputy head of the Health Care Board of the provincial Red Cross Society who both have donated blood more than 30 times.

At the end of the year, the blood supply is always scarce while the need for blood transfusion is high. This year, in order to ensure blood reserves, the provincial Red Cross Society - the standing body of the provincial Steering Committee for Blood Donation Mobilisation has combined the launching ceremony of "Blood donation campaign for the Lunar New Year 2019 - the Red Spring Festival" with the voluntary blood donation event "Red Sunday". At the same time, it has assigned specific targets to localities, schools and clubs with the organization of 20 festivals, expected to receive about 3,000 units of blood or 20 percent of the yearly plan.

People brave severe heat to donate blood in many provinces

Thousands of people in northern mountainous and central provinces have braved the severe hot weather to take part in blood donation events of the Red Journey campaign over the past days.

 

Festival marks end of Red Journey blood drive in Hanoi

A festival was held in Hanoi on July 14 to review a blood donation campaign entitled “Red Journey 2018”, which has run since June 13.

 

Son Dong commends medical staff donating blood to save patient’ life

(BGO) – The General Hospital in Son Dong district, Bac Giang province on July 27 presented the Certificate of Merit granted by the Department of Health to the staff who donated their precious blood to save the patient suffering from the maternal hemorrhage. 

 

Doctor in Son Dong district honored for donating blood to save patient’ life

(BGO) – The People’s Committee in Son Dong district, Bac Giang province on August 7 presented the Certificate of Merit and an instant cash reward to Doctor Hua Van Hung, Head of the Department of Traditional Medicine in district General Hospital who donated the precious blood to save the patient.      

 

Yen Dung honors typical blood donors

(BGO) – The second voluntary blood donation festival in 2018 was held on September 9 in Yen Dung district, Bac Giang province in connection with a ceremony honoring the typical collectives, families and individuals in blood donating campaign. 

 

Huu Trinh