Red Sunday helps secure blood supplies for medical treatment
VOV.VN - The 18th edition of Red Sunday, a nationwide voluntary blood donation campaign, was launched at the Hanoi University of Science and Technology on January 11, as Vietnam seeks to ensure stable blood supplies for medical treatment during peak periods.
The programme was organised by Tien Phong Newspaper (tienphong.vn) in coordination with the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, the National Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union in provinces and cities nationwide, and other partners.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, Phung Cong Suong, Editor-in-Chief of Tien Phong Newspaper and Head of the Red Sunday XVIII Organising Committee, noted that over the past 17 years the campaign’s value has gone beyond the number of blood units collected.
“Red Sunday has helped nurture a culture of sharing and compassion in the community, particularly among young people who are willing to give without expecting anything in return,” he said.
Entering its 18th year, Red Sunday aims to further raise public awareness that voluntary blood donation is not a one-off charitable act but a civic responsibility and a tangible expression of social solidarity, Suong added. He highlighted students and young people as the backbone of the movement, describing them as the “vital pulse” sustaining the programme for nearly two decades.
He expressed confidence that with broad public participation, especially from youth, Red Sunday 2026 would continue to bring hope and save thousands of lives while promoting long-lasting humanitarian values.
Since its launch, the Red Sunday campaign has mobilised hundreds of thousands of blood units, significantly easing blood shortages during high-demand periods such as the Lunar New Year. In 2025, Vietnam collected nearly 1.75 million units of blood nationwide, with 98% coming from voluntary donors.
From a professional perspective, Assoc. Prof. Tran Ngoc Que, Director of the National Blood Centre, said Red Sunday has played a crucial role in addressing blood shortages during the Lunar New Year and summer months. He stated that the Centre expects to need around 122,000 units of blood in 2026, while current collection plans have reached only 91,000 units, leaving a shortfall of about 30,000 units.
“If blood supplies are insufficient, only three out of every four patients in need of transfusions can be treated,” Que warned.
The 18th Red Sunday campaign is running from December 2025 through March 2026.
Metfone spreads the spirit of community through blood donation drive in Cambodia
VOV.VN - Metfone, a subsidiary of Viettel Group, joined hands with Cambodia’s National Blood Transfusion Center to organize the 2025 Blood Donation Day on October 18 in Phnom Penh, carrying the message “One drop of blood- a million hearts.”
