National institute of haematology and blood transfusion (NIHBT) was established as decision No 153/BYT-QD by ministry of health dated 31^st December 1984. The first former director was professor Bach Quoc Tuyen. Prof, scientific Ph.D Do Trung Phan has been being the director since 1983.

The main functions and tasks:

NIHBT is the leading institute for researching, teaching and developing the activities of haematology, blood transfusion, haematological diseases, and rational and safety blood using through the country.

. Researching the blood collection, storage and use.
. Preparing the products of blood to meet rational, safe and on time the need of blood.
. Researching the prevention and treatment the haematological diseases that suits the condition of Vietnamese.
. Researching some biological substances using in blood diagnostic tests.

Researching the standardization of the blood tests and introduction for regulation of technical professions in blood collection and blood transfusion in the whole country.

. Collaborating with Ha noi Medical University to teach and retrain for cadres in profession of haematology and blood transfusion.
. Disseminating the professional knowledge; Editing and publishing the popular materials in blood donation and blood receiver, communicating the health protection and care in the publicity.
. Supervising and guiding the technical profession in network of haematology and blood transfusion through the country.
. Managing, developing the own its facility according to the regulation and low by Viet Nam Government.

Some major activities and achievements:

1. Setting up and developing the network of haematology and blood transfusion from central to local level that becomes a professional branch through the country.

* Diagnose and treatment activities:

. Setting up the test process, guidlines for each disease.
. Applying many new effective methods of treatment such as ATRA for acute leukemia, removing the splean for haemorrhage due to thrombocytopenia, bone marrow depression, plasma exchange and cell filter; treatment some haematological diseases such as myeloma, primary multiple blood cell, primary platelet etc...;
. Ensuring the blood transfusion safety, transfusion of blood components, blood retransfusion.
. Establishing the relations between labors of haematology and blood transfusion and clinical departments. This make exactly and on time diagnose, therefore many patients are survived and duration of treatment are reduced.
. Implementing 12 of medical ethical articles.
. Establishing the center for treatment of hemophilie; reducing disability, vunerability and difficulty for patients and their families.

* Haematology tests:

Applying many modern techniques and improving the medical equipments to upgrade the quality of cellular tests and haematologial organs as well as blood tests, genetic cells and haematological immune.

* Blood transfusion:

- Propagandizing the volunteer for blood donation, selecting the blood doners, stroring, delivering and distributing safe the blood, especially.
- Propagandizing the campaign for humanizing blood donation to substitute gradually the period blood donation and ensure the quality of transfussed blood: 7 th  April has become the people's blood donation day.
- Deploying the screen of infections (HIV; HCV; HBV, gonorrhea and malaria) as regulation of blood transfusion from central to local levels.
- Isolating 5 components of blood with national standard.
- Manufacturing the sample serum ABO according to the international standard for identifying the blood type.
- Using rational and safe the blood and blood components, inereasing the benefits of treatment and economy.
- Establishing the national program for blood transfusion safety and project for 4 local blood banks (Ha Noi, Hue, HCM, Can Tho).

2. High technical applications:

- Automatic cellular seperation (COBE-Spectra)
- Platelet: function test
- Blood coagulation test
- Blood transmitted virus screen (ELISA)
- Cell marker identification (FACT count)
- Genetic disease diagnose and blood screen (PCR)
- Fluorescence microscope cell culture
- Automatic cellular counter
- Platelet Shaking  etc...

3. Scientific research:

- 200 themes (National level, ministrial level and local level) are studied.
- Publishing 4 buletins: Vol. 1 (1963-1973), vol 2 (1974-1984) vol 3 (1994-1996), vol 4 (1996-2000)

4. Training:

- Collaborating with Ha Noi medical university to teach medical student, 1 st or 2nd grade M.D, Ph.D candidates, M.S candidates and hospital medical doctors.
- Teaching the assistance doctors in haematology and blood transusion and general tests.
- Retraining the doctors in haematology and blood transfusion.
- Collaborating with institute of army medicine to teach 1 st MD, 2nd M.D, Ph.D candidates and M.S candidates.
- Editing and publishing the medical monographs, books of post graduation, and technique in haematology and blood transfusion.

5. Profession guiding

+ Propagandising the blood donation
+ Screening the infections for safety of blood transfusion from central to local level.
+ Setting up the network of haematology test.
+ Setting up the clinical network of haematology diseases to provincial level.