Bắc Kạn Province's police officers donate blood at the 15th Red Sunday 2023. — Photo cand.com.vn

HÀ NỘI — The main festival of the 16th Chủ nhật đỏ (Red Sunday) - the annual blood donation campaign - will officially take place at the Hà Nội University of Science and Technology in Hà Nội on December 24.

The annual event is organised by Tiền Phong (Vanguard) newspaper, the National Steering Committee on Traffic Safety, and the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusions (NIHBT) in 45 provinces and cities nationwide from November 2023 to the end of March 2024.

It is expected that the Red Sunday 2024 will mobilise more than 100,000 people to attend and receive about 45,000-50,000 units of blood.

"In recent years, Red Sunday has had the participation of 40 - 50 provinces and cities and dozens of large units and businesses with about 100 festivals across the country, receiving an average of about 55,000 units of blood yearly. The important thing is that the programme has brought the spirit of voluntary blood donation to many places, spreading the movement "Donate blood to save lives,” said Editor-in-Chief of Tiền Phong newspaper and head of the organising committee Lê Xuân Sơn.

According to Sơn, before the main national festival, from November 2023, Red Sunday 2024 has organised a number of kick-off events in HCM City and Hưng Yên Province. As of December 11, Red Sunday 2024 has organised seven blood donation events, receiving 2,756 units of blood.

Director of the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) Nguyễn Hà Thanh said that the demand for blood always increases during Tết (Lunar new year) holiday.

“In 2023, the NIHBT received a record of more than 450,000 units of blood and more than 35,000 units of platelets. It is forecasted that during Tết this year, the NIHBT will need about 110,000 units of blood. The Red Sunday drive would receive about 45,000-50,000 units of blood donation, half of treatment needs,” said Thanh.

"The NIHBT currently has about 10,000 units of blood in reserve and demand continues to increase during Tết, so people who are healthy enough to donate blood and platelets are very welcome," said Thanh.

“January 24, 2024 will mark the 30th anniversary of Việt Nam's voluntary blood donation campaign. That is the whole process of efforts to change from awareness to action of millions of Vietnamese people. Red Sunday has become an indispensable part, accompanying half of that 30-year journey," added Thanh.

Along with the Xuân hồng (Red Spring) and Hành trình đỏ (Red Journey) festivals, the Red Sunday campaign has become an important milestone in the development of the voluntary blood donation movement in Việt Nam. — VNS