HÀ NỘI — Around 3,250 blood units have been collected from voluntary donors, mainly students and young people, at a blood donation festival on Saturday in Hà Nội.

The event is the last event of the 2018 Hành trình đỏ (Red Journey) campaign’s series of 44 blood donation festivals that took place in 26 provinces and cities nationwide from June 13 to July 14.

“The Red Journey campaign has collected more than 45,000 blood units (350ml each) and drew the participation of thousands of people across the country,” said the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion Director Bạch Quốc Khánh.

“Collected blood from the campaign not only serves blood demand for emergencies and treatment in northern areas during summer but also contributes to localities with blood shortages in the central and southern provinces,” said Khánh.

Khánh said that the Red Journey campaign has successfully improved community awareness about the importance of donating blood and about thalassemia – a genetic blood disorder that can lead to heart failure and liver problems.

President of the Việt Nam Red Cross Society Nguyễn Thị Xuân Thu said the campaign addressed the shortage of blood that often occurs at the beginning of June when voluntary donors, mainly students, go home for their summer vacation.

Since the first Red Journey in 2013, thousands of patients’ lives have been saved thanks to nearly 120,000 blood units collected over the past six years. The campaign has contributed to easing blood shortages, according to Thu.

During the one-month campaign, 200 outstanding volunteers, divided into two groups, travelled across the country to collect blood and spread the message about the importance of donating blood and encouraging people to donate blood during summer.

According to the Ministry of Health’s statistics, the country collected nearly 1.5 million units of blood in 2017, 98 per cent of which came from voluntary donors. The collected blood has met nearly 80 per cent of the country’s emergencies, treatment and preventive demands. — VNS