Despite cold weather, thousands of students took part in “Red Sunday” to donate blood at the University of Commerce in Hanoi on January 12. 

Over the past 5 days, the “Red Sunday” program has received a positive response from thousands of students and people in Hanoi and other localities and more than 4,000 units of blood have been collected.

On the first day of the 2014 campaign in Haiphong and Nam Dinh provinces, 1,499 units of blood were donated.

The program in Hanoi is expected to attract around 3,000 donors and approximately 1,000 units of blood.

According to the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) which supplies blood to more than 80 hospitals in Hanoi and 16 northern provinces, they need at least 45,000 blood units during the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet),  they currently meet just 40% of demand. Shortage of blood supplies during Tet will cause major difficulties for healthcare treatment.

The program is crucial in overcoming blood shortages and provides an opportunity for thousands of Hanoi’s residents to show their willing and kindness.