Kabul, 14 June 2019 - World Health Organization (WHO) supported the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) of Afghanistan to commemorate the world blood donor day with a series of activities including laying the foundation stones for 2 blood banks, each in Jamhuriate Hospital and Wazir Akbar Khan Hospital in Kabul.

Additionally, MoPH and WHO organized two blood donation drives, each in Central Blood Bank and in United Nations (UN) Compound in Kabul. "Blood donation is a good thing, if you can do it", Robert Maroni, International Civil Servant at the UN Compound.

A number of other UN National and International civil servants donated blood during the blood drive. Mirela Vladescu, another UN International Civil Servant working as volunteer said, “Blood have the same color, no matter who you are and where you are from". 

The blood banks construction work will be completed during 2019 and will also be equipped with all the required machinery and material by early next year.