Red Sunday Blood Donation Program, Warm Christmas Atmosphere

On December 24, right on Christmas, the Red Sunday Blood Donation Program took place vibrantly at Hanoi University of Science and Technology. Hundreds of people of all ages eagerly attended the program in a space filled with bright, warm red.

With the message "Donate blood to save lives - Your life and mine", the 16th Red Sunday Blood Donation Program in 2024 opened on Christmas, with the gift of warm drops of blood and wishes of peace sent to patients in need of blood.

In the atmosphere of the Program, Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan expressed his admiration for voluntary blood donors, people who donated blood many times, donated blood in emergency reserve, people who donated blood and encouraged others to donate blood; many managers who directly donated blood, setting good examples for the community; many families and clans who donated blood... in the past time.

According to Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan, after 15 years of organization, the Red Sunday Blood Donation Program has received about 250,000 units of blood in most provinces and cities across the country. The Red Sunday Program has contributed to ensuring blood supply for treating patients before and after Tet, contributing to bringing life, faith and hope to many people with serious illnesses.

On this occasion, the National Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation and the Ministry of Health also called on healthy people to donate blood to save lives, especially calling on medical staff to always take the lead in responding to the movement.

Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan also called for the participation of managers and leaders of agencies and units, with their responsibility and affection, to actively mobilize cadres, employees, workers, youth, students, police officers, soldiers, etc. to participate in blood donation to join hands in building a healthier and more humane society.

According to the organizers, the 16th Red Sunday Program in 2024 will continue to have the participation of nearly 50 provinces and cities; dozens of armed forces units and enterprises with the capacity to mobilize a large number of participants also registered to organize Red Sunday in their units.

It is expected that Red Sunday 2024 will mobilize more than 100,000 participants and receive about 45,000 - 50,000 units of blood. The special thing about Red Sunday this year is that for the first time, in addition to the main festival held in Hanoi, Red Sunday will also organize the main festival in the southern region at Van Hien University, Ho Chi Minh City.

According to journalist Le Xuan Son, Editor-in-Chief of Tien Phong Newspaper, Head of the Program's Organizing Committee, this is the 16th year that the Red Sunday program has been organized. It is a journey from a small blood donation event to a large blood donation movement as it is today. From only receiving 96 units of blood the first time it was organized, up to now, 40-50 provinces and cities have participated and continuously accompanied the Program. In addition, there are also units with the capacity to mobilize and receive large amounts of blood. The important thing is that the program has brought the spirit of voluntary blood donation to many places, spreading the blood donation movement to save lives.

To facilitate blood donation, the Red Sunday program currently organizes blood donation in many localities, especially in the provinces and cities in the Central Highlands, where people have difficulty traveling. Along with that, the program also cooperates with Youth Union and Association organizations at all levels, and schools to create a colorful and meaningful festival.

The 16th Red Sunday program was hosted by Tien Phong Newspaper, in coordination with the National Traffic Safety Committee, the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, the Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of provinces and cities and a number of coordinating units nationwide.