October 7, 2015
On October 6, 2015, the U.S. Embassy Kabul hosted a blood drive to support the Afghan National Blood Safety and Transfusion Service (ANBSTS).
U.S. Embassy employees – American, Afghan, and other nationalities – donated hundreds of units of blood that will be used to treat patients at Afghan health care facilities. Ambassador Michael McKinley, who donated blood alongside his U.S. Embassy colleagues, said, “Donating blood is considered an important civic duty in the U.S., and we are honored to have the opportunity to continue this tradition here in Afghanistan to help our Afghan neighbors and friends.”
The U.S. Embassy Blood Drive is a bi-annual event. At the last blood drive, U.S. Embassy employees donated 225 units of blood. Each unit saves five (5) lives.
According to the American Red Cross, which administers blood drives around the U.S., 9.2 million Americans donate blood in the U.S. every year.
