Spring Festival migration creates blood shortages
Print Edition
Cities in China are facing a severe seasonal blood shortage, as the majority of donors are going home to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
In Nanning, capital of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the city blood center has received only 300 donors on a daily basis during the winter months, while on average 400 to 500 blood donors are needed to meet demand.
Nanning is an example of a broader picture in the country, said Huang Liumei, head of the blood transfusion service of the Guangxi Women and Children’s Hospital, citing that many big cities are in dire need of blood.
“During the Spring Festival, students, who make up the majority of blood donors, have mostly gone home, putting pressure on blood donation centers in cities,” Huang said.
Cities in Guangdong, Yunnan, Shandong and Jiangsu provinces have all reported blood shortages, official statistics show.
At least 1-3 percent of a country’s population should donate blood in order to meet basic medical demands, the World Health Organization advises. However, less than 1 percent of China’s population donate, the Ministry of Health said.
Health professionals suggest improving transparency by inviting the public to visit blood stations on a regular basis to help them understand the donation process.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
