Representative of the Red Sunday organising committee presents gifts to patients at the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion. — Photo courtesy of the organiser

HÀ NỘI — The 18th Chủ nhật đỏ (Red Sunday) blood donation festival will officially open at the Hà Nội University of Science and Technology in Hà Nội on January 11, marking the beginning of a series of large-scale voluntary blood donation activities taking place nationwide.

The annual programme is jointly organised nationwide by Tiền Phong Newspaper in coordination with the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, the Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation and the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union.

Red Sunday was born in response to the severe blood shortage at many medical facilities in late 2008 and early 2009. Originating from an idea by Tiền Phong Newspaper, the first blood donation event was held in Hà Nội in 2009, with modest results, receiving only 96 units of blood.

However, from those first drops of blood, the flame of sharing and compassion was ignited, opening up a persistent journey that has lasted for nearly two decades.

Journalist Phùng Công Sưởng, Editor-in-Chief of Tiền Phong Newspaper and Head of the Organising Committee for Red Sunday 2026, speaks at the press conference. — Photo courtesy of the organiser

Journalist Phùng Công Sưởng, Editor-in-Chief of Tiền Phong Newspaper and Head of the Organising Committee for Red Sunday 2026, stated that the newspaper hopes Red Sunday will fulfil its mission of mobilising the large amount of blood needed to treat patients and contribute to building a stronger blood donation movement nationwide.

After 17 years of supporting the voluntary blood donation movement, Red Sunday has mobilised hundreds of thousands of blood units, making a significant contribution to reducing blood shortages during the Tết (Lunar New Year) season.

In 2025 alone, the whole country mobilised and received nearly 1.75 million blood units, of which 98 per cent came from voluntary blood donors. This achievement is thanks to the active and persistent contributions of Red Sunday.

Many blood donation campaigns have been organised effectively across the country, attracting millions of people and creating a widespread impact in the community. Thanks to this, the blood shortage during the Lunar New Year season in recent years has no longer been at an alarming level.

Youngters donate blood at the Red Sunday blood donation festival 2025. — Photo courtesy of the organiser

Sưởng affirmed that the success of Red Sunday is not solely the success of Tiền Phong Newspaper or the organising committee, but the culmination of the collective efforts of the entire society.

"We believe that with this collective effort, Red Sunday will continue to be a symbol of compassion, social responsibility, and solidarity – where the Vietnamese tradition of 'loving others as oneself' is preserved, continued, and strongly spread through every drop of blood shed," he said.

Director of the National Blood Centre, Assoc. Prof. Trần Ngọc Quế, said that the centre is currently short of approximately 31,000 units of blood. One in four patients will suffer from not having enough blood for treatment.

According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Hà Thanh, Director of the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, in the first three months of 2026 alone, the institute expects to need approximately 122,000 units of blood to supply more than 180 medical facilities in the northern region.

"Each unit of donated blood means another life is saved, and Red Sunday is a bridge of compassion connecting benevolent hearts with tens of thousands of patients who are waiting for life every day," Prof. Thanh said.

The 18th Red Sunday event in 2026 will take place in many provinces and cities across the country from December 2025 to the end of March 2026. — VNS