Mongolian National Center for Transfusion Medicine (NCTM) and Shanghai Blood Center (SBC) signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in the afternoon of September 8th. Under the framework of “the Belt and Road”, both sides will cooperate more closely on personnel exchange, scientific collaboration, information sharing and professional technical training, especially in rare blood exchange and clinical emergency transfusion.

President of SBC, Mr. Lu Taohong, and the director of WHO Collaborating Center for Blood Transfusion Services (WHOCC-BTSs), Prof. Zhu Yongming, discussed cooperation programs with the President of NCTM, Dr. Namjil Erdenebayar and Vice Director of NCTM, Dr. Tuya Alimaa. The signing of “MOU between SBC and NCTM” is a milestone for both sides to deepen cooperation and work hand-in-hand. It is of great significance to promote communications and strengthen cooperation among Asian countries in the field of transfusion medicine.

On the basis of cherishing each other's development ideas, research basis, and related resources, both sides will follow the principles of mutual trust, fair and mutual benefit, close cooperation, and common development in the future. SBC will assist NCTM in establishing External Quality Assessment (EQA) of transfusion transmitted infection and blood group serology, and offer help on exercise material preparation. Meanwhile, rare blood screening and investigation on the specificity and frequency of red blood cell alloantibodies in Mongolians will be performed. Most Chinese belong to the Mongolian race, and have common blood type markers, for example, high Dia expression and few Rh negative individuals. Therefore, the two countries will further develop information sharing on rare blood and promote the exchange of rare blood and clinical emergency transfusion.

SBC, as WHOCC-BTSs, has the duty and responsibility to promote blood transfusion management, technology, and scientific research development, as well as information sharing on a regional and world-wide level, as well as to provide technical guidance and staff training in local areas. SBC and NCTM have maintained close communication in recent years. SBC held three transfusion medicine training programs for NCTM during 2013-2016. The“Asian Rare Blood Seminar,” jointly organized by NCTM and SBC, was held in Mongolia’s capital city, Ulaanbaatar, in August of 2016.

Reported by Zhang Jiamin

Edited by Kurt Lee

President Lu Taohong and President Namjil Erdenebayar sign the MOU

A group picture