BEIJING — Potential donors enlisted in China’s marrow donor program exceeded 2.3 million in 2016, the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) said on May 8.

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are multipotent stem cells that give rise to all blood cell types, found in the bone marrow and used to treat blood diseases such as leukemia.

The program has facilitated over 6,000 HSCs donations for patients at home and abroad, according to a RCSC statement issued during World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day.

In addition, over 4,000 individuals donated organs last year, making the total count of donations to nearly 10,000, the statement said.

A newly-revised law on China’s Red Cross societies specified that the RCSC should participate in and promote blood, body and organ donations, and could carry out work related to stem cell donations.

The revision also focused on boosting the transparency and credibility of the RCSC with enhanced supervision.

The revised law went into force on May 8.