The World Health Organization (WHO) Tuesday called for Vietnam to regulate blood donations and address its chronic shortage of blood supplies.

VNRBD is the safest source of blood, according to the WHO.

In 2008, Vietnam reached about 70 percent VNBRD and expected to increase that number to 75 percent in 2009 and 80 percent in 2010.

Nguyen Anh Tri, director of the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, said the country only collects about 40 percent of its total need for blood.

The WHO estimates that only 35 percent of donors are regular donors and around 90 percent of Vietnam’s voluntary blood donations come from cities.

“Vietnam still collects less than half of its total need for blood,” Olive said. “Put simply, the shortfall means people are dying unnecessarily.”

Tri said it would be critical for the country to encourage people from all walks of life and backgrounds to become blood donors.

“Safe access to blood is a universal human right,” said Dr. Jean-Marc Olive, WHO representative in Vietnam. “Donating blood without the expectation you will be paid is a selfless act than can save countless lives.”

The Vietnam Kind Hearts Festival will honor 100 Vietnamese blood donors and gather 4,000 other volunteers from various organizations and humanitarian agencies in Hanoi on Sunday.

Source: TN, VNA