Signing Ceremony for “The Project for Provision of Secondhand Blood Donation Vehicle to Afzaal Memorial Thalassemia Foundation”

The government of Japan extended a grant of US $25,569 to Afzaal Memorial Thalassemia Foundation (AMTF) for “The Project for Provision of Secondhand Blood Donation Vehicle to Afzaal Memorial Thalassemia Foundation’’ under its Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP).

The grant contract was signed on March 20^th, 2018 at the Official Residence of the Consulate-General of Japan in Karachi, between Mr. Toshikazu Isomura, Consul General of Japan in Karachi, and Dr Asim Qidwai, Chief Executive of AMTF. Mr. Ateeq Ur Rehman, Executive Director AMTF was also present at the ceremony.

The grant covers the cost of reconditioning and transportation from Tokyo to Karachi for a Second hand Blood Donation Vehicle. There are many patients who are diagnosed as blood related diseases but not treated properly, and one of the reasons is due to lack of blood available for those people. The project is not only to benefit for a lot of patients but also to create awareness on the importance of blood donation among mass by the vehicle running throughout the city. This project is going to be one of the pioneers in Blood Donation Advocacy in the city which will help increase the number of blood donations.

The grant is in the form of ‘’recycling grant scheme’’, which utilizes used but valuable vehicles by bearing the cost of reconditioning and transportation. The Blood Donation Vehicle, which was used in Japan, is donated by the Society for Promotion of Japanese Diplomacy in Japan.
At the signing ceremony, Mr. Isomura sincerely hoped that the Vehicle which is going to be provided under the grant would greatly improve health services in Karachi. Mr. Isomura also wished that this support from the people of Japan would further strengthen friendly relationship between Japan and Pakistan.

Under the GGP scheme, Japan has funded upwards of 360 projects in Pakistan since 1989. For further information, please contact the Economic Section of the Consulate General of Japan in Karachi at 021-3522-0800.