Ho Chi Minh City: Blood reserves are running low, health sector urgently holds meeting to find supply

On August 7, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health said that the city's blood reserve is gradually decreasing due to a decrease in donated blood, directly affecting treatment at hospitals and medical centers with beds in the area.

Voluntary blood donation

According to the statistics of blood reception and distribution in July 2025, the expected reception schedule is 27,560 bags, but the actual reception is 25,034 bags, a decrease of 2,526 bags compared to the plan, while the amount of blood distributed is 27,607 bags. As a result, the city's blood reserve is gradually decreasing from 9,427 bags (on July 1) to 6,713 bags (on July 31).

Faced with that situation, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health chaired an urgent meeting with the participation of the Blood Transfusion - Hematology Center (Cho Ray Hospital), the Blood Transfusion - Hematology Hospital and the Ho Chi Minh City Red Cross to assess the situation of receiving and supplying blood in the transition period (the health systems of Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau provinces previously merged into the Ho Chi Minh City health system) and discussed and agreed on a coordination plan to ensure blood supply for treatment facilities until the end of 2025.

Based on the proposal of the Department of Health, the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City has approved the plan for the Blood Transfusion Center of Cho Ray Hospital to continue to take on the role of a focal point for supplying blood and blood products for regions 2 and 3 (formerly Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau) until December 31 according to the plan set out at the beginning of the year.

At the same time, the Department of Health was assigned to organize and coordinate blood reception and distribution activities in accordance with the actual needs and operational capabilities of the units. The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee also directed localities to continue to effectively implement voluntary blood donation mobilization, strengthen the Steering Committee at the grassroots level, and closely coordinate with the Ho Chi Minh City Humanitarian Blood Donation Center to maintain a stable schedule of voluntary blood donation and blood reception, without interruption during the system restructuring period.

THANH SON

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/tphcm-kho-mau-du-tru-can-dan-nganh-y-te-hop-khan-tim-nguon-cung-post807263.html