HCM CITY — At least 30,000 units of blood are expected to be collected from volunteers at 26 provinces and cities in the country via an annual blood-donation campaign called Hành Trình Đỏ (Red Journey) 2018.

The campaign will begin on June 14 when blood donors in the country will be honoured. It will last until July 15.

The campaign will start in the Mekong Delta province of Cà Mau and then take palce in 25 provinces and cities including Kiên Giang, Cần Thơ, HCM City, Lâm Đồng, Đắk Lắk, Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Khánh Hòa, Phú Yên, and Bình Định.

The National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, in co-operation with Việt Nam Red Cross Society and others, is organising the campaign. 

Nguyễn Tấn Khởi, standing deputy chairman of Việt Nam Red Cross Society’s Sponsor Council, said the amount of blood donations had met 60 per cent of demand, while the donations before 2013 when the campaign was first organised provided 40 per cent of patients’needs.

More than 120,000 units of blood were collected via the campaign over the last five years, Khởi said.

A 29-year-old patient from HCM City’s District 12, who has thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder that can lead to heart failure and liver problems, told Việt Nam News: “Thanks to the campaign, I don’t have to wait for many days like I did in the past to have a blood transfusion.” 

Her siblings, who also have the disease, need blood transfusions every month.

The C.P. Việt Nam Corporation is carrying out a programme in response to the Red Journey campaign, called Hành Trình Chia Sẻ Yêu Thương (Journey to Share Love), in which the company’s staff and managers will donate 2,500 units of blood.

As many as 250 gifts will be presented to patients with thalassemia who live in  provinces and cities where the campaign will take place. —VNS