Vietnam faces urgent need for 122,000 blood units in January-March

The estimate was announced by Nguyen Ha Thanh, head of the institute, at a press briefing jointly organized by the institute and Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper on Tuesday to introduce the 18th Red Sunday blood donation drive.

The projected demand reflects continued pressure on the blood supply system, particularly during the year-end period and the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, when donations usually decrease while treatment needs remain high.

Tran Ngoc Que, director of the institute’s National Blood Center, said preparations to maintain blood reserves began as early as October last year.

Despite these efforts, current stockpiles are still insufficient to meet treatment demand, Que added.

The center is continuing to coordinate blood supplies for Can Tho City in southern Vietnam and is preparing plans to support hospitals in central Vietnam, Que said, to ensure patients can receive uninterrupted treatment during the Lunar New Year holiday, lasting from February 14 to 22.

In addition to fixed blood donation sites, the health sector is expanding mobile donation programs in provinces, cities, and schools.

During the Lunar New Year holiday, the institute will remain open every day, including Lunar New Year’s Eve and the first day of the new year, to receive blood donations and respond to emergency needs, Que said.

The human impact of blood shortages is reflected in patients like Pham Van Tan from Thanh Hoa Province, north-central Vietnam, who has lived with thalassemia for more than a decade and is receiving medical treatment at the institute.

Tan requires regular blood transfusions, at three to four units each time, to survive and estimates he needs hundreds of units every year.

“When I was first diagnosed, I felt hopeless,” Tan said.

“But thanks to dedicated doctors and the support of blood donors, I’ve become more optimistic and continue fighting the disease.”

His two children, who do not have the condition, have also joined voluntary blood donation drives.

Another patient, Nam, also from Thanh Hoa, has been receiving treatment for myelodysplastic syndrome.

Nam said his life today depends entirely on donated blood.

The 18th Red Sunday blood donation drive will officially open on Sunday at the Hanoi University of Science and Technology.

The annual campaign aims to mobilize blood donations ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, when shortages are often most severe.

Phung Cong Suong, editor-in-chief of Tien Phong and head of the Red Sunday 2026 organizing committee, said the program has nearly two decades of history with a focus on promoting the humanitarian value of blood donation.

“The first Red Sunday collected just 98 units of blood,” Suong said.

“Today, the movement has spread widely, engaging students, young people, and many other groups in society.”

A unit of donated blood in Vietnam typically comes in volumes of 250 ml or 350 ml, with a maximum of 450 ml, depending on the regulations of each medical facility.