Buddhists pray online due to COVID-19 outbreak Blood shortage warned as donations postponed due to COVID-19 outbreaks The resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic in many cities and provinces in recent weeks has seriously affected the blood supply for medical treatment. Although many people and organisations responded to the call of blood donation by the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) on February 19, the amount of blood received per day was still only a few hundred units while the average need for treatment each day is from 1,200 to 1,500 units. There is usually a shortage of blood during the Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday as the holiday lasts long while blood has a short shelf life and many patients still need blood transfusions during Tết. This year, the pandemic's resurgence has made the shortage after Tết even worse. Before Tết, 30 entities requested to postpone or cancel blood donation plans which meant the NIHBT missed out on receiving more than 8,000 units. After the holiday, the institute received information about the delay of 24 more blood donation plans from now to the end of March with an expected donation of 5,000 units. In addition, the blood donation schedule in March cannot be confirmed because it depends on the university and college's return to the school schedule. This means the blood reserves of the institute are decreasing. If this situation continues, blood reserves will decrease to an alarming threshold, fell into a state of scarcity and seriously affect the blood supply to health facilities. The Institute’s director Bạch Quốc Khánh said: “The estimated blood demand for emergency and treatment in February and March of the institute is about 50,000 units.” “With blood donation schedules maintained up to now, there was still a shortage of about 20,000 units, seriously affecting the provision of 177 medical facilities in 28 provinces and cities in the north with about 41 million …
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UK investors eye renewable energy in Vietnam
A wind farm in Binh Thuan province (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Investors from the UK were showing significant interest in investing in renewable energy projects in Vietnam, especially wind power, expecting the Vietnamese Government to introduce long-term support policies as well as simplification of procedures for project implementation. British Ambassador to Vietnam Gareth Ward said at the UK – Vietnam Renewable Energy Dialogue on Wednesday that clean energy was becoming a global trend, adding that every 1 investment USD in clean energy would help generate from 3-8 USD. The Vietnamese Government in 2015 approved the renewable energy development strategy to 2030 with a vision to 2050 which aimed to increase the percentage of renewable power from 35 percent in 2015 to 38 percent in 2020 and 43 percent in 2050. The Government also introduced incentive policies to encourage the development of wind power , biomass energy, energy from waste and solar power. Hoang Tien Dung, Director of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Electricity and Renewable Energy Authority, said developing renewable energy was important in the context that sources for hydropower were being exhausted, thermopower was limited due to commitments to global climate change and gas-fired power had high production costs. According to the draft national power development planning for 2021-30 period with a vision to 2045, Vietnam had large potential for renewable energy development which was estimated to amount up to 855GW, mostly solar power (434GW), and wind power (375GW). The potential for off-shore wind power was estimated at 158GW. Off-shore power was attracting increasing interest from foreign organisations and investors, Nguyen Ninh Hai, Head of the Renewable Energy Department under the Electricity and Renewable Energy Authority, said. Hai said that as off-shore wind power was a new thing to Vietnam, the Ministry of Industry and Trade was cooperating with some research …
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Leverage of funding models imperative for health sector
Hospitals have gained in recent years thanks to improved facilities and more strategic partnerships Nipro Pharma Corporation – Japan’s biggest prescription drug contract manufacturer – has nearly completed procedures to increase investment capital by about $270 million to enlarge its facility at Saigon High-tech Park (SHTP) in Ho Chi Minh City so as to increase production volume. “The procedure completion is expected in the next few weeks, thus increasing Nipro Pharma’s total investment there to $570 million,” a SHTP representative told VIR. “Nipro has performed well since it began investment in the park in 2016.” Nipro Pharma is among the Japanese investors which have strong interest in Vietnam’s healthcare sector. Many more are expanding to and in Vietnam, according to the Japan External Trade Organization. Together with Japan, South Korea and the EU also have more sights set on the lucrative local market. Positive signals The healthcare sector has welcomed new investment inflows in recent times, especially in 2020 when a number of new projects were announced despite pandemic restrictions. Late last year, a consortium led by Singaporean sovereign fund GIC acquired a minority stake in Vietnam-based private hospital operator Vinmec, part of Vingroup, for $203.1 million. The year also witnessed VinaCapital using $26.7 million to acquire 30 per cent stake in Thu Cuc International General Hospital; and British Real Capital London’s launch of the $156 million Hong Anh Medical Campus project in Ho Chi Minh City. In addition to foreign investment, new domestic private capital flows into the sector were also reported during the year. Last January the southern province of Tra Vinh licensed the high-tech pharma project from TV Pharma with initial investment of VND650 billion ($28.26 million). A few months later, the Van Phuc-Saigon Hospital and Hoan My General Hospital projects were also kicked off. Elsewhere, the Long An Obstetrics and Pediatrics …
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