Hundreds throng hospital to donate blood

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok):  Hundreds of people have registered to donate blood to the civil hospital in northern Balkh province in deference to the holy month of Muharram, an official said on Sunday.

Dr. Mohammad Shafique, a surgeon responsible for blood collection and preservation, told Pajhwok Afghan News so far 250 people had registered for donating blood on Ashura.

He said the blood donation process would continue until late in the day and it was expected the number of donors could exceed 300.

Syeda Jan, lying on a bed in the hospital to donate blood, told Pajhwok Afghan News he was giving blood in honour of the Day of Ashura.

The 31-year-old said: “I feel pride giving blood on the holy day. During these days, Imam Hussain (RWA) shed his blood for Islam and I too am donating blood to Afghans in need of it.”

Afghan Child Foundation head in Mazar-i-Sharif, Maryam Karimi visited the civil hospital along with some ailing children for blood transfusion. She told Pajhwok Afghan News she was hopeful the ongoing blood donation campaign would benefit a number of people needed blood.

She said most of the patients at her foundation were children, who in dire need of blood.

Dr. Shafique said donating blood was beneficial to health and had no harmful effect. He said youth in great numbers donated blood on the day of Ashura for a third year in a row to the civil hospital.

He said the donated blood was preserved and stored at the hospital’s blood bank and was given to patients if necessary.

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