Vietnamese doctors of the National Blood Transfusion and Hematology Institute travelled 500 km to give rare blood for saving a foreign tourist.

The foreign tourist in the general Hospital in Lai Chau Province

The General Hospital in the Northern Province of Lai Chau yesterday said that it has saved a 38 year old Ukrainian who was injured in an accident while on tour. 

Noticeably, medical workers from the National Blood Transfusion and Hematology Institute travelled 500 km from Hanoi to the province to bring rare O Rh(-) for saving the man with rare blood.

Director of the General Hospital in Lai Chau Province Dr. Do Van Giang said that on March 28, the Ukraine man was rushed to the hospital when he had injuries in belly causing ruptured spleen and bleeding inside. 

Test results showed that the rate of red blood cell reduced drastically and the man suffered a shock due to bleeding so much. 

He needed blood transfusion and timely operation to treat ruptured spleen. However, the hospital has no O Rh (-) in storage. Additionally, transferring in a long distance will threaten his life.

Accordingly, the hospital leaders contacted with the National Blood Transfusion and Hematology Institute asking for provision of the rare blood. Soon in the night, blood was brought for the operation later. The man recovered now.

The ratio of people in Vietnam with the rare Rh-negative blood types is 0.1 per cent; according since 2007 the National Blood Transfusion and Hematology Institute set up a rare blood Rh (-) club in the North which now has hundreds members. 

Moreover, the institute has the name of over 1,000 people with Rh (-) blood group who are ready to donate their blood at any time to save patient.

SGGP