The demand for rare blood products is constantly increasing.

On the morning of November 15, the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion organized a program to meet typical rare blood type donors in 2025.

Associate Professor Tran Ngoc Que, Director of the National Blood Center (National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion) said that in recent years, the demand for rare Rh(D) negative blood products at medical facilities , especially in Hanoi, has continuously increased compared to the previous period, most of which have been mobilized by the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion to meet the demand promptly and adequately.

The program aims to raise awareness, as well as to honor and pay tribute to the silent contributions and willingness to donate blood of donors with rare blood types.

“Ensuring the source of blood donors in general, especially donors with the rare Rh(D) negative blood type in particular, faces many difficulties and challenges, because in Vietnam, the proportion of people with the Rh(D) negative blood type only accounts for about 0.07% - 0.1% of the population. When a patient with a rare blood type needs a blood transfusion, every passing moment is priceless because the Blood Centers do not always have a source of rare blood reserves available,” Associate Professor Tran Ngoc Que analyzed.

Affirming the contributions of rare blood type donors, Associate Professor Tran Ngoc Que expressed his gratitude to those with rare blood types who did not hesitate to go on the road at night, in the rain, or on long journeys to donate blood. They are a special living blood bank, and to this day, although medicine has developed significantly, there is still no optimal method that can replace it.

As of November 2025, the International Society of Blood Transfusion recognized 48 red blood cell blood group systems with 398 different blood group antigens. Each blood group system has different blood types due to the presence or absence of antigens with genetic characteristics on the surface of red blood cells and antibodies in the serum of that person. Of these, the ABO blood group system and the Rh blood group system are the most important in blood transfusion practice. People still hear and are familiar with the blood groups: O, A, B, AB; these are the blood groups belonging to the ABO blood group system.

The program aims to raise awareness, and at the same time show gratitude and honor the silent contributions and willingness to donate blood of donors with rare blood types. (Photo: PV/Vietnam+)

The ABO blood group system was first discovered in 1901 by the great scientist Karl Landsteiner, opening a new era in blood transfusion practice. In the following years, many other red blood cell blood group systems were discovered such as the Rh, Kell, Kidd, Duffy, Lewis, MNS blood group systems... The Rh blood group system has the most diverse and complex antigen system with 56 antigens, of which the D antigen is the most common.

Blood group antigens vary widely in frequency among races, countries, and geographic regions. Thus, a blood type that may be rare among Caucasians may not be rare among Asians, and vice versa.

The International Society of Blood Transfusion defines blood types with a frequency of less than 0.1% as rare blood types and those with a frequency of less than 0.01% as very rare blood types.

In Vietnam, one of the rare blood types often mentioned is Rh(D) negative because it only accounts for less than 0.1% of the population. Meanwhile, the rate of Rh(D) negative blood type in the community in Europe or many countries is not rare, because it can account for up to 15-40% of the population./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/nhu-cau-su-dung-cac-che-pham-cua-mau-nhom-hiem-lien-tuc-tang-post1077103.vnp