247 people donate blood at U.S. Embassy-held annual Tet blood drive

U.S. Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink gives blood

“It is especially encouraging to see so many employees and their families, students who visit our American Center, and others from all around Hanoi who help us ‘Give a Tet Gift of Life’ by donating blood,” noted Ambassador Kritenbrink.

A key goal of the blood drive is to recognize the Vietnam National Blood Program’s accomplishment of increasing Vietnam’s blood supply, especially through voluntary donors and support successful efforts in educating the population on the importance of voluntary donation.

U.S. Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink with National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion Vice Director, Mr. Le Lam

Since the National Blood Program launched 2001, Vietnam has shown great progress in increasing its percentage of blood supply from voluntary donors, and the U.S. Embassy is proud to support the National Blood Program during a holiday that routinely faces a decrease in donors. The donated blood is used to save lives of trauma victims, surgical patients, and patients with life-threatening blood diseases.

“Blood drives like this also increase awareness regarding the importance of having a consistent supply of blood, and the critical role volunteer blood donors can play,” noted U.S. Embassy Medical Officer Susan Tang.

The U.S. Embassy’s blood drive has consistently seen growth in the number of donors since the first event in 2012, with a total of 247 donors at this year’s blood drive.

Reported by Hoang Bac