More than 8,000 people in Guangdong in south China have donated blood for more than 35 times in the past two years. (Photo: Guangdong Provincial Health Commission)

(ECNS) -- More than 8,000 people in Guangdong, south China have donated blood more than 35 times in the past two years, the local health commission said Monday, the day before the World Blood Donor Day on June 14.

Since the normalized epidemic prevention and control mode against COVID-19 in blood collection and supply institutions in Guangdong was established in 2021, the unpaid blood donations have reached about 1.58 million, with 460.7 tons of whole blood and 221,900 units of machine-collected units, a-year-on-year increase of 9.64 percent, 9.96 percent, and 16.67 percent respectively.

Besides, the blood donation rate per 1,000 people reached 12.58 in 2021, higher than the national average.

Both blood samples and quality collected in 20 prefecture-level cities in Guangdong Province have increased, especially at Guangzhou Blood Center, where the total amount of blood collected and supplied have ranked first in China for two consecutive years.

While ensuring the clinical use of blood, Guangdong collected 9,300 milliliters of convalescent plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients for the treatment of COVID-19 sufferers in critical situations across the country. At the same time, the Guangzhou Blood Center also allocated red blood cells to medium and high-risk areas to ensure their clinical use of blood during the pandemic.

By the end of 2021, 12,700 people in Guangdong Province had enjoyed the policy of direct exemption of clinical blood expenses, amounting to 31.93 million yuan.

In addition, some prefecture-level cities in Guangdong have introduced incentive policies for free blood donation, for example, free public transportation, free visits to scenic spots, general outpatient consultation fee exemption at public medical institutions, etc.