Blood transfusion centre appeals for more donors

The Lao Red Cross National Blood Transfusion Centre is calling for more people to donate blood in order to meet the increasing need for blood transfusions at hospitals around country.
In recent years the centre has collected an average of 55,000 bags of blood annually, but this quantity is insufficient to meet demand.
In the first seven months of this year, the centre collected about 34,000 bags of blood from donors and is aiming for about 60,000 bags by the end of the year.

Blood stocks have improved in recent years as there has been an annual increase in blood donations collected by the Lao Red Cross.
But more donors are needed in the provinces, and the demand for blood is likely to increase further because of more sophisticated health care and the growing population.
 If one percent of the population of Laos were to donate blood once a year, this would provide enough blood for use by hospital patients.
On Friday, the Lao Red Cross got a boost with the donation of minibuses for use by the Borikhamxay and Vientiane provincial blood centres, provided by the German government’s BMZ through the German Red Cross.
The vehicles were received by the President of the Lao Red Cross, Mr Khamhoung Heuangvongsy, and handed over by the Representative of the German Red Cross, Dr Tim Bray. The German Red Cross provides assistance to the National Blood Service, particularly at the provincial and district levels, with funding from the German government’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
The programme focuses on coverage, quantity and quality, in line with national standards and WHO guidelines.
Some provincial blood centres do not currently have adequate transport and the National Blood Transfusion Centre has identified Vientiane province and Borikhamxay province as having urgent needs. The minibuses being handed over are to be used at these locations.
The German Red Cross has provided 11 minibuses and 36 motorbikes to the Lao Red Cross National Blood Service over the last decade, and intends to provide a further six minibuses as part of the current project.
Previous experience suggests that this simple investment contributes significantly to blood collection rates.
The minibuses are needed for donor camps, providing transport for staff, equipment, and donated blood units.
Improved transport will benefit blood safety and maintenance of the cold chain because donated blood, samples, reagents and test kits can be transported more efficiently in cold boxes to and from the national and provincial blood centres. 

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
(Latest Update October 7, 2019)