HCM CITY — The Red Journey blood donation campaign on Saturday kicked off in the Mekong Delta province of Cà Mau, aiming to collect 500 units of blood.

Trần Quốc, deputy head of the steering board for voluntary blood donations and chairman of the Red Cross in the province, said this was the third year for the province to take part in the Red Journey campaign.

This year’s one-month campaign will be carried out in 28 provinces and cities, ending in Hà Nội on July 27.

Begun four years ago, the initiative was launched by the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion in co-operation with other organisations and companies, including dozens of local steering boards to carry out voluntary blood donations in 37 provinces and cities nationwide, the Quốc Hội (National Assembly) television channel, and Nhân Ái Vòng Tay Việt Joint-Stock Company.

The campaign targets raising awareness about the need for blood donations as well as thalassaemia, a genetic blood disorder that can lead to heart failure and liver problems.

Over the last four years, more than 150,000 units have been collected, saving hundreds of patients.

The steering boards for blood donations located throughout the country have had the opportunity to improve co-ordination in collecting a large volume of blood to store for disasters and blood shortages.

Professor Nguyễn Anh Trí, head of the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, said the campaign encourages people to help others in periods of misfortune.

More campaigns will be carried out in other areas of the country, as the need is great.

Many patients with thalassaemia are waiting for blood transfusions. The country has 20,000 thalassaemia patients that are regularly treated at hospitals.

More than five million people in Việt Nam are born with a gene that can promote the development of thalassaemia.

Each year, more than 2,000 children in the country are born with the gene. — VNS