Alarm again about the shortage of blood type O in treatment

March 07, 2021

A report from the Blood Storage and Distribution Department of the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion shows that there are currently only more than 1,200 units of blood type O left. Meanwhile, on average, the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion needs at least 1,500 units of blood per day to meet the emergency and treatment needs at 180 hospitals in Hanoi and the northern provinces.

Blood type O alone needs at least 45% of the total blood volume, equivalent to nearly 700 units of blood per day. Thus, blood type O will only be guaranteed for the next 2 days; Many patients are anxiously waiting for blood or have to mobilize their family members to donate blood.

Another warning of the shortage of blood type O in treatment

The National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion also said that the shortage of blood type O is also happening in many localities such as Thanh Hoa, Ho Chi Minh City Blood Transfusion and Hematology Hospital...

Blood type O is the blood type with a high percentage in the community, about 45% of the Vietnamese population belongs to this blood type. Therefore, the demand for blood is also higher than other blood types. In addition, blood type O is a blood type that can be transfused as a replacement for all other blood types. Therefore, during use, especially in some emergency cases or in cases where it is difficult to find a suitable blood type..., treatment facilities will prescribe blood type O as a replacement. These are two basic reasons leading to the shortage of this blood type.

The National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion has just continued to issue a call to agencies, organizations and especially people with blood type O, if they are in good health, to donate blood from now until the Lunar New Year 2018.