A resident in HCM City gives blood as part of the Hành trình đỏ (Red Journey) blood donation campaign. — VNS Photo Thu Hằng

HCM CITY — The HCM City People’s Committee is encouraging groups of people in the community to donate blood for emergency needs this year.

The committee has asked Government agencies, district people’s committees, social unions, companies, schools and military units to disseminate information to encourage people to donate blood.

It is targeting more than 260,000 voluntary donors and a total of 350-450ml of blood, which would account for 60 per cent of donated blood.

As many as 80,000 State officials, union members and students are expected to give blood, while blood donation steering boards in districts and communes are encouraging 120,000 residents to give blood.

Medical staff are also encouraged to participate in voluntary blood donation, which would yield 60,000 blood bags.

The HCM City Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion will work closely with the HCM City Humanitarian Blood Donation Centre to organise blood donations and test donated blood. 

A variety of voluntary blood donation campaigns have been held throughout the year, including Lễ hội xuân hồng (Red Spring Festival), a two-month-long blood donation campaign annually organised by the HCM City chapter of the Vietnamese Red Cross Society. — VNS