According to July 2025 statistics, Ho Chi Minh City expected to receive 27,560 bags of blood but collected only 25,034 which means that the city’s bags of blood have fallen short by 2,526 bags. Meanwhile, 27,607 bags were distributed during the same period last year. As a result, the city’s blood reserves declined from 9,427 bags on July 1 to just 6,713 by the end of the month.
Amid ongoing severe shortage of blood, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health convened an emergency meeting with representatives from Cho Ray Hospital’s Blood Transfusion–Hematology Center, Ho Chi Minh City Blood Transfusion and Hematology Hospital, and the Red Cross Society. The meeting assessed the current challenges in blood collection and distribution during the transition period—following the recent integration of Binh Duong and Ba Ria–Vung Tau's health systems into Ho Chi Minh City's network. Participants also developed and agreed on a coordinated plan to ensure a stable blood supply for treatment facilities through the end of 2025.
Based on the proposal of the Department of Health, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee approved the plan for the Blood Transfusion Center of Cho Ray Hospital to continue to assume the role of the focal point for supplying blood and blood products for regions 2 and 3 (formerly Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau) until December 31 according to the plan set out at the beginning of the year.
At the same time, the Department of Health was assigned to organize and coordinate blood collection and distribution activities in accordance with the actual needs and operational capabilities of the units. The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee also directed localities to continue to effectively implement voluntary blood donation mobilization, strengthen the Steering Committee at the grassroots level, and closely coordinate with the Ho Chi Minh City Humanitarian Blood Donation Center to maintain a stable schedule of voluntary blood donation and blood collection, without interruption during the system restructuring period.
