Over 650 Buddhist monks, followers register for blood, organ donation

Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh speaks at the festival. (Photo: VNA)

The blood and organ donation registration festival was jointly held by the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRC), the Vietnam Buddhist Academy (VBA) and the Vietnam National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion.

Addressing the event, Most Venerable Thich Thanh Quyet, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS)’s Executive Council and head of the VBA, said from now on, blood and organ donation will form part of the academy’s regular activities. 

In his remarks, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh reviewed the over 2,000-year development history of Buddhism in Vietnam, as well as the religion’s companionship with the nation. 

He suggested the Ministry of Health, the VRC and the VBS maintain and roll out the program at all Buddhist facilities nationwide, and emphasized the need to step up the communication work in order to raise public awareness of blood and organ donation. 

Currently, Vietnam has seen a high demand for organ transplantation. As of July 2019, 25,000 people have registered to donate organs, tissue and body parts after their death. So far, more than 3,000 organ transplantations have been conducted.

Over the years, communications on tissue and organ donation have seen positive results, with great contributions from Buddhist dignitaries and followers.

In May this year, nearly 600 monks, nuns and followers registered to give away their organs and tissue at Giac Ngo pagoda. The “Dao Phat ngay nay” (Buddhism today) Foundation run by the Giac Ngo pagoda had previously organised the programme three times in 2015, 2016 and 2017, with the total number of registering people reaching 1,360.-/..

VNA