14th Red Spring Festival blood donation drive surpasses set target

Donors at the blood donation drive (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The 14th Red Spring Festival, the largest blood donation drive in the country, collected more than 8,300 blood units during one week from March 1, announced the organising board on March 7.

The result is 60 percent higher than the initial target of over 5,000 units.

The drive, launched by the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT), together with the Hanoi Youth Association for Blood Donation and the Hanoi Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation, aimed to address blood shortage in hospitals after Tet (Lunar New Year) holidays.

This year, due to the impacts of COVID-19, the festival was held at four venues, including at the NIHBT, to create optimal conditions for donors and at the same time follow preventive measures.

The pandemic triggered a steep decline in the number of donors and blood supply for treatment and emergency, said Chairman of the Hanoi Youth Association for Blood Donation Trinh Xuan Thuy.

The organising board has made thorough preparations to welcome donors so as to ensure COVID-19 prevention and control, he added.

The festival, first launched in 2008, had collected in excess of 93,000 blood units in total, and become the annual biggest blood donation event./.

VNA