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Doctors Honored for Decades of Blood Donation to Save Lives
🇻🇳 Vietnam /Good News

Doctors Honored for Decades of Blood Donation to Save Lives

From Tuổi Trẻ · () Vietnamese

Translated from Vietnamese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Two medical professionals from Vietnam's National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Dr. Vu Hai Toan and Mr. Phan Huu Quang, were honored for their long-term dedication to voluntary blood donation.
  • Dr. Toan, who treats thalassemia patients, emphasized the critical need for a stable blood supply, stating, "Blood can wait for patients, but patients cannot wait for blood."
  • Both individuals have donated blood and platelets numerous times over decades, driven by a deep understanding of blood's irreplaceable role in modern medicine and the struggles of patients facing shortages.

Dr. Vu Hai Toan, deputy director of the Thalassemia Center at the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion in Hanoi, and Phan Huu Quang, deputy head of the quality management department at the same institute, have been recognized nationally for their unwavering commitment to voluntary blood donation. Both have dedicated decades of their lives to this cause, with Quang having donated blood and platelets 63 times over 26 continuous years, starting as a curious university student. Dr. Toan's first donation was a life-saving act for a pregnant patient needing an emergency operation. He has since donated over 50 times.

Dr. Toan, who treats thousands of patients with thalassemia, a condition requiring regular blood transfusions, intimately understands the desperation that arises from blood shortages. "Blood can wait for patients, but patients cannot wait for blood," he stressed. He has witnessed firsthand the profound impact of insufficient blood supply, particularly during holidays like Tet and summer, and crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. These experiences underscore the vital importance of consistent community blood donations for maintaining a stable reserve.

Ngày đấy, mới vào đại học, tôi chưa có hiểu biết gì về hiến máu. Tôi tham gia hiến máu ban đầu vì tò mò

— Anh Phan Hữu QuangMr. Quang recalls his initial motivation for donating blood as a university student.

The pressure of blood scarcity is acutely felt within the Thalassemia Center. Dr. Toan recounted cases where patients desperately needed compatible blood units but could not find them, either due to overall shortages or the development of unusual antibodies. "Not only the patients and their families, but we doctors treating them also feel immense pressure. Every doctor wants patients to get better and be discharged, but witnessing them weaken due to a lack of transfusions is deeply regrettable," he shared. For thalassemia patients, even brief periods without blood can severely compromise their health, physical condition, and quality of life, reinforcing the dedication of medical professionals like Toan and Quang to the blood donation movement.

Không chỉ người bệnh, người nhà mà bác sĩ điều trị như chúng tôi cũng chịu áp lực vô cùng lớn. Bác sĩ nào cũng mong bệnh nhân khỏe lên và được xuất viện, nhưng phải chứng kiến họ yếu dần đi vì không có máu để truyền là điều rất đáng tiếc

— Bác sĩ Vũ Hải ToànDr. Toan describes the emotional toll of blood shortages on medical staff.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Tuổi Trẻ in Vietnamese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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