Nghe An: 'Blood reserves cannot last more than 5 days due to Covid-19 outbreak'
(Baonghean.vn) - Dr. Nguyen Dinh Khue - Director of Nghe An Hematology and Blood Transfusion Center, said about the serious shortage of blood for treatment due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
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| Currently, at the Nghe An Hematology and Blood Transfusion Center, there are 42 people being treated for congenital hemolytic anemia. They are mainly poor people, coming from mountainous districts. Photo: Thanh Cuong |
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| Patients with thalassemia need continuous blood transfusions. Each transfusion session lasts from 10 to 14 days depending on the patient. In the whole hospital, on average, 10 to 13 units of blood are needed each day. Photo: Thanh Cuong |
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| Ms. Vi Thi Vien and her grandson Lo Minh Thinh (6 years old) in Mon Son commune (Con Cuong) have suffered from congenital hemolytic anemia since they were 5 months old. Each time they need a blood transfusion, the grandson needs about 4 units of blood and lasts 10-12 days. However, this time, the transfusion has lasted 11 days and 3 units have been transfused, still lacking 1 unit but the doctor said that they are anemic so they may have to wait for more than 20 days. Photo: Thanh Cuong |
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| In a similar situation, two brothers Vi Quoc Tuan (20 years old) and Vi Bao Nam (12 years old) in Nghia Hoi commune (Nghia Dan) are also waiting for blood. Photo: Thanh Cuong |
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| "Most of the patients with congenital hemolytic anemia have difficult circumstances, and their relatives have the anemia gene and are not healthy enough to donate blood, so they are completely dependent on blood from voluntary blood donations. With the current situation of no blood to transfuse, doctors must monitor the health of patients regularly, in case the patient's blood volume is too low, they must have an emergency blood transfusion immediately, while more stable patients continue to wait. Treatment will have to be extended for more days" - said Dr. Nguyen Thi Cam Tho - Department of General Hematology II. Photo: Thanh Cuong |
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In the whole province, on average, medical examination and treatment facilities need 130-180 units of blood per day. Meanwhile, at present, the Hematology and Blood Transfusion Center only receives 30-50 units of blood per day. Thus, on average, there is a shortage of more than 100 units of blood per day. Photo: Thanh Cuong |
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The main reason is the Covid-19 outbreak, which has made blood mobilization difficult. From April 27 until now, when a Covid-19 infection case appeared from a flight bringing Vietnamese citizens back from Japan, 100% of blood plans of agencies, units, districts, communes, cities and towns were canceled. The amount of blood lost due to the delay of blood donation plans is about 7,300 units. Photo: Thanh Cuong |
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| In May and June alone, 10 blood donations were canceled in the province due to the epidemic, so blood collection and blood supply to hospitals were very limited. Photo: Thanh Cuong |
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| "The center's current blood reserve is only enough for emergency cases and epidemics, and for treatment and surgery is very limited," said Specialist II Doctor Pham Van Thai - Head of the Blood Transfusion Department. Photo: Thanh Cuong |
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With the supply becoming increasingly scarce while the demand from patients continues to increase, the Hematology and Blood Transfusion Center is having to take blood from the reserve to use. It is predicted that if this situation continues, the current blood bank will only last no more than 5 days. Photo: Thanh Cuong |
