HCMC – The Saigon Times Group, in collaboration with the HCMC Blood Donation Center, will organize the Blood Donation Day 2025 on the morning of Saturday, October 4, at its headquarters in downtown HCMC.
The blood drive will take place from 7:00 a.m. at the Saigon Times Group head office, 35 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, Ben Thanh Ward, HCMC (formerly Nguyen Thai Binh Ward, District 1).
This year, the Saigon Times Blood Donation Day 2025 is financially supported by Construction and Building Materials JSC (CBM), while TOUS les JOURS Vietnam, Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam Beverage, Ong Tho Condensed Milk, and Le Fruit farm fresh provide in-kind support.
The annual event comes as blood reserves in the city are running low. According to the municipal Department of Health, blood donations have dropped in recent months, straining hospitals’ ability to meet treatment needs. In July, blood banks received 25,034 units while demand stood at 27,607 units. As a result, the city’s blood inventory fell from 9,427 units on July 1 to 6,713 units by the end of the month.
The HCMC Blood Transfusion and Hematology Hospital has warned that unless donations rise, existing supplies may only cover 70% to 80% of patient needs, potentially disrupting medical services.
Against this backdrop, the Saigon Times Blood Donation Day 2025 aims to ease the shortage, support patients in need, and nurture a spirit of social responsibility and compassion within the community.
This year’s program also coincides with the 30th anniversary of The Saigon Times at english.thesaigontimes.vn (October 2, 1995 – 2025) and the 34th anniversary of The Saigon Times Weekly (October 10, 1991 – 2025).
Last year, the blood drive attracted more than 140 local and foreign donors, including diplomats, business leaders, government officials, and Saigon Times staff, with over 190 units of blood collected.
The Saigon Times Group is calling for blood donors to come to the event for the noble cause. Readers interested in the Saigon Times Group’s blood drive on October 4 should fill out the registration form at: https://forms.gle/EVrEJux4d9MVPcB18
Or contact Ms. Kim Ngan on 093 2626 094, or by email at kimngan@thesaigontimes.vn.
To ensure safety during the blood donation process, donors should take note of the following information:
1) Register for blood donation if you:
- Are well and not exposed to the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections.
- Meet the requirements for age (18-60), weight (45 kilograms or above), and minimum interval of three months between two blood donations.
- Follow the instructions of health workers and volunteers at the blood donation site.
- Carefully read and fill out the blood donation questionnaire and the health declaration form.
- Blood volume collected per donor: 350 or 450 milliliters.
2) Blood donors should:
- Have a light meal and drink water (300-500ml) before donating blood.
- Consume plenty of food and water for 24 hours after donating blood.
- Lie or sit for 10 minutes after donation.
- Apply gentle pressure to the injection site for 10 minutes with a piece of cotton wool and keep the bandage on the arms for 4-6 hours.
- Lie down with their legs elevated if they feel dizzy, tired or nauseous.
- Cover the injection site with a cold towel or ice if inflammation occurs.
3) They should not:
- Drink milk, alcohol, or beer before donation.
- Drive for a long distance, work hard or do exercises on the blood donation day.
