Nearly 100 Thai and Vietnamese volunteers donate blood at the Thai consulate in HCM City on July 20. — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — The Thai consulate in HCM City, in collaboration with the Việt Nam Red Cross Society and the national blood donation programme Hành trình đỏ (Red Journey), organised a humanitarian blood donation event in HCM City on July 20.

Nearly 100 Thai and Vietnamese volunteers donated blood at the event which also included a bicycle parade to call for voluntary blood donation.

Speaking at the event, Wiraka Moodhitaporn, the Thai consul-general, said that as a part of the consulate’s charity programme “Good Deeds from the Heart”, the blood donation event promotes the spirit of sharing.

It is a beautiful symbol expressing the deep gratitude of the Thai community living and working in HCM City as well as other cities and provinces towards Việt Nam through the blood donation, Moodhitaporn said.

It is also a vivid demonstration of the friendship between Thailand and Việt Nam not only at the government level but also through the connection of the Thai and Vietnamese communities, she said.

Thai consul-general Wiraka Moodhitaporn (centre) donates three oxygen concentrators to the Việt Nam Red Cross Society’s HCM City chapter and nearly VNĐ19 million (US$726) to the Red Journey programme at a blood donation event held at the Thai consulate in HCM City on July 20. —VNA/VNS Photo

Nguyễn Tuấn Khởi, deputy head of the organising committee of the Red Journey programme, said that in recent years, summer has seen a scarcity of blood.

This summer, a severe blood shortage has occurred in many localities, making voluntary blood donation activities extremely urgent to ensure sufficient supply for emergencies and treatment, Khởi said.

The event not only spreads the message “A drop of blood given, a life saved” but also contributes to strengthening the ties between the two countries, he said.

Nearly 100 units of blood collected at the event were donated to the blood bank of the Việt Nam Red Cross Society.

At the event, the Thai consulate in HCM City donated three oxygen concentrators to the Việt Nam Red Cross Society’s HCM City chapter and offered financial support of nearly VNĐ19 million (US$726) to the Red Journey programme. —VNS