Honoring blood donors with rare blood types

The 2025 Meeting of Typical Rare Blood Type Donors program aims to honor and acknowledge the silent contributions and willingness to donate blood of people with rare blood types.

Honoring typical rare blood type donors.

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

At the program, the Organizing Committee honored and awarded Certificates of Merit from the Hanoi Red Cross Society to 15 individuals; and awarded Certificates of Merit from the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion to 20 outstanding individuals. About 150 blood donors with typical rare blood types were honored, interacted, shared and enjoyed traditional puppet shows at the Vietnam Puppetry Theatre.

Delegates attending the program.

According to the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, 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 in a timely and sufficient manner.

Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Ngoc Que, Director of the National Blood Center, National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, said: “Ensuring the source of blood donors in general, especially the source of blood 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 a priceless moment because the Blood Centers do not always have a source of rare blood available in reserve.”

Affirming the contributions of blood donors with rare blood types, Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Ngoc Que expressed his gratitude to those with rare blood types who did not hesitate to go out at night, in the rain, or on long journeys to donate blood.

According to the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, as of November 2025, the International Blood Transfusion Society recognized 48 red blood cell blood group systems with 398 different blood group antigens. Each blood group system has different blood groups 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 which, the ABO blood group system and the Rh blood group system are the most important in blood transfusion practice. We 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.

According to VNA

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/vinh-danh-nhung-nguoi-hien-mau-co-nhom-mau-hiem-tieu-bieu-526785.html