The ratio of voluntary blood donation in China's clinical operation has soared from five percent in 1998 to 79.4 percent in the first quarter of this year, the Health Ministry announced Tuesday.

Central China's Henan Province leads the country with the ratio of voluntary blood donation reaching 100 percent, followed by Hainan Province, with 99.59 percent, Shandong, with 99.23 percent, and Shanxi, with 99.2 percent, the ministry said.

The figures were released on June 14, which is celebrated internationally each year as the World Blood Donors Day to promote voluntary blood donation globally.

China has scored remarkable progress in pushing ahead with voluntary blood donation and effectively controlling infectious diseases caught in the course of blood transfusion.

The ministry has called on all localities to do more to promote voluntary blood donation by capitalizing on the opportunity of the World Blood Donors Day to eradicate any risks involved in blood supply.

(Xinhua News Agency June 15, 2005)