Workers of the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) and Japanese volunteers from the Japan Overseas Co-operation Volunteers have donated blood to the National Blood Bank of Ghana.

A statement from JICA and copied to the Ghana News Agency said the exercise, which took place in Accra, saw 27 Japanese and two Ghanaians donating blood to support the National Blood Bank.The statement said Mr Koji Makino, the Chief Representative of JICA Ghana, expressed the delight to help save lives through blood donation.

He said JICA was not only interested in the bilateral relations it had with the Government of Ghana, but also keen on investing in sustaining the health and safety of Ghanaians and called on other Ghanaians and foreign nationals to donate to the Blood Bank.

Dr Justina K. Ansah, the Director of the National Blood Service, expressed gratitude for the gesture and reiterated the need for more volunteers to donate blood to save lives that could be theirs or that of their loved ones.

JICA Ghana, as part of its technical co-operation in the health sector, has strengthened Community-based Health and Planning Services system to improve primary health care and reduce maternal and neonatal mortality in the northern part of Ghana since 2006.

JICA Ghana has supported and implemented many health-related projects in Ghana since 1977.