Red Journey: 1,500 blood units collected in HCM City

Starting on June 13, the campaign has been held in Ca Mau, Kien Giang, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Can Tho, Lam Dong, Dak Lak and HCM City. To date, more than 7,500 blood units were collected during this year’s campaign.

The organising board of the Red Journey campaign puts a programme themed “Globin Cipher” in activities in Ho Chi Minh City and several other localities with the aim to raise community awareness of thalassemia - a genetic blood disorder that can lead to heart failure and liver problems.

Doctor Ngo Manh Quan, from the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, stressed the importance of the work, especially for young people and those about to get married, as around 2,000 Vietnamese babies are born with thalassemia each year.

Luu Hoang Phuc, a resident in HCM City’s Phu Nhuan district, who has donated his blood 26 times, said: “Each blood donation takes around one hour, but can save someone from critical conditions. I feel very happy”.

“Red Journey” is a cross-country campaign initiated by the National Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation and the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion in 2013, aiming to raise public awareness of the need for blood donation as well as thalassaemia, a genetic blood disorder that can lead to heart failure and liver problems, and to address the shortage of blood for medical use.

Over the past five years, more than 120,000 blood units were collected, helping to reduce blood shortages during summer and saves lives of thousands of patients across the country.

This year’s campaign will conclude on July 14, passing through 16 cities and provinces and expected to collect at least 30,000 blood units. In 2017, the campaign collected over 38,000 blood units nationwide.