Central blood bank faces blood shortage, says officials

KABUL (TOLOnews): Officials from Afghanistan Central Blood Bank in Kabul said they are faced with blood shortage and lack of enough facilities to collect blood and keep it for a long time.
Head of the Blood Bank, Mohammad Nasir Sadiq, said people’s cooperation to donate blood has increased during Ramadan.
“Unfortunately, the Central Blood Bank just has one bus to send it to different areas and collect blood,” he said. “We call on the Public Health Ministry to provide us more facilities.”
Patients who need blood said they face lack of blood when they are in need of it.
“It has been three hours that I am waiting for blood here, but we couldn’t get it,” said Azizuddin, father of Ilham, a man who faces haemophilia, or bleeding disorder.
“We stand here since the morning, but nobody is ready to donate blood for us and the Central Bank Blood also said that there is no blood,” said Khan Mohammad, a patient.
The Ministry of Public Health said that it has provided enough facilities for all blood bank centers across the country.
“Our purpose is to strengthen the blood bank in every possible way,” said Sharafat Zaman Amerkhail, a spokesman for the ministry.