The program is jointly organized by the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT), VTVCorp and the Ho Chi Minh City Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation Mobilization.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Ha Thanh, Director of the NIHBT and head of the campaign’s organizing committee, said the Red Journey is a symbol of dedication, compassion and social responsibility.
He said the campaign carries the hopes of millions of voluntary blood donors and helps bring life-saving opportunities to patients in urgent need of blood transfusions.
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Nguyen Ha Thanh, Director of the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion and Head of the Organizing Committee of the 2026 Red Journey, performs the torch-lighting ceremony for Red Journey 2026. |
This year’s campaign is being held in 32 provinces and cities across the country, including Hanoi, Hai Phong, Hue, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, Nghe An, Thanh Hoa and Dak Lak. It targets the collection of 120,000 blood units, including 25,000 units from major donation events and 95,000 units from accompanying activities.
So far, the campaign has already been successfully organized in Lai Chau, Thai Nguyen and Dong Nai provinces, collecting nearly 3,000 units of blood.
Since its launch in 2013, Red Journey has become Vietnam’s largest and most effective blood donation campaign. Over the past 13 editions, it has organized 3,525 donation events nationwide and collected more than one million units of blood.
Beyond increasing blood supplies, the program has helped strengthen coordination among localities, improve the efficiency of blood distribution nationwide and build a sustainable network of local volunteers.
On the opening day, the “Drops of Pink Blood from Ho Chi Minh City” blood donation festival was also held at multiple locations across the city, with an expected collection of around 1,300 blood units.
The city aims to receive more than 6,000 blood units through this year’s Red Journey campaign while promoting awareness of thalassemia, encouraging repeat donations and larger-volume donations of 350ml to 450ml. Digital transformation is also being applied through online blood donation registration platforms and the “Giot mau vang” (Golden Drop of Blood) mobile application.
On the occasion of World Blood Donor Day on June 14, organizers honored outstanding individual blood donors and donor families who have made significant contributions to humanitarian and voluntary blood donation activities.
Source: VNA