Asia’s Red Cross societies meet for blood service development

BANGKOK, Oct 18 (TNA) – Red Cross Societies from 18 Asian countries met to exchange experience in blood service for further cooperation in supplying adequate and safe blood and blood services. Thai and Japanese Red Cross Societies, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) co-organized the 8th Red Cross and Red Crescent Symposium on Blood Programs in the Asian Region: Securing Stable Supply of Safe Blood in Remembrance of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Tej Bunnag, Assistant Secretary General for Administration of the Thai Red Cross presided over the opening of the symposium, held at the Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square and attended by participants from 18 countries. Mr Tej said that the event is aimed at exchange of experience and development in blood service to pave the way for providing adequate supply of safe blood and blood services. The meeting also strengthened ties between Thai Red Cross and Japanese Red Cross Society and was held to express gratitude to HM late King Bhunibol as patron of the Thai Red Cross, he said. Meanwhile, Tadateru Konoé, President of the Japanese Red Cross Society said more and more people are interested to donate blood particularly young people. Nowadays, Blood storage and blood transfusion are safer but a new risk emerges such as mosquito-borne Zika virus, which is a worldwide challenge to handle. (TNA)