Donors give blood at the Children’s House of District 10 in HCM City, as part of the annual 7th Hành trình đỏ (Red Journey) campaign. — VNS Photo Ngoc Diep

The annual campaign came to HCM City on Saturday with blood donation festivals held at the District 10 Children’s House and Giác Ngộ Pagoda in District 10.

The campaign began on June 13 and will end on July 28 in 39 provinces and cities across the country.

It is organised by the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion in collaboration with VTVCorp, and sponsors from the Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam (BIDV), the C.P. Viet Nam Corporation and Qui Phúc Co., Ltd.

In the last six years, about 170,000 blood units have been collected by the campaign. About 60,000 blood units are expected to be collected from volunteers this year.

Pham Thi My Cuc, 25, an employee at BIDV’s a branch in District 9, said she had donated blood five times. “I'm helping others understand the benefits of blood donations,” she said.

Montri Suwanposri, general director of C.P. Viet Nam Corporation, said the company’s employees always donated blood during the campaign. “This is a meaningful activity that helps save thousands of lives."

Many officials, workers and students had contributed to the campaign over the years, according to Tran Truong Son, chairman of the HCM City chapter of the Red Cross.

A series of other voluntary blood donation campaigns will be held in the city throughout the year.

The city has also honoured many outstanding blood donors for their contributions.

“I want to thank donors for their humanitarian actions that help ease blood shortages,” Son said.

He called on local individuals, local units and international organisations to take part in the blood donation campaign.

VNS