Nationwide blood donation campaign collects over 42,000 units

The Red Journey 2018 collects over 42,000 blood units. Photo: infonet.vn

The figures were announced at the last blood donation event of the one-month campaign, which took place in Hanoi on July 14.

The event, a highlight of campaign in Hanoi, featured a camping site, a street parade, and a “Globin Cipher” communications program to raise community awareness of thalassemia - a genetic blood disorder that can lead to heart failure and liver problems. It was expected to receive 3,000 blood units.

At a conference reviewing outcomes of the “Red Journey” 2018 held as part of the event, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Viet Tien praised active response to and participation in the campaign of the Vietnam Red Cross Society, authorities of different levels and hospitals nationwide, among others.

He said the next year’s campaign should focus on boosting communication activities and blood donation in rural and remote areas and on islands.

“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. It aims to raise public awareness of blood donation and thalassaemia, 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.

In 2017, the campaign collected over 38,000 blood units nationwide.

Source: VNA