Tradition and false claims prompt concerns

The number of people in China donating blood has risen in recent years. For example, in 2016, the country recorded 10.5 unpaid blood donations per 1,000 people. However, that lagged behind 32.1 per 1,000 in high-income countries and 14.9 in upper-middle-income countries, the World Health Organization said.

In June, Zhou Changqiang, deputy head of the medical administration department at the National Health Commission, said blood supplies are often on a knife-edge as a result of the rising senior population and older women giving birth, which results in rising demand for healthcare services.

The balancing act is also affected by seasonal influences, such as extreme weather and the Spring Festival migration when people leave big cities where blood centers are situated.