Nepalgunj Red Cross facing acute blood shortage

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT,Nepalgunj, Dec. 7: Nepal Red Cross Society’s Regional Transfusion Center (Blood Bank) in Nepalgunj is suffering from extremely low stock of blood. 

Nepalgunj, which is the major treatment center for patients, including accident victims and those with serious health conditions from Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces, is reeling from acute blood shortage, making it difficult even for critical patients to get the needed treatment. 

Regional Blood Transfusion Center has informed that there is a shortage of blood in Nepalgunj even in cold months. Blood donation typically declines during summer which is extremely hot in Nepalgunj.  

Upendra Regmi, the Regional Head of the Center, said that there is a shortage of blood when there is a decrease in the number of institutional blood donation programmes which normally happen after major festivals and the election.

“We are in regular contact with blood donor organisations and blood donor groups,” he said. Hospitals reported that due to lack of blood, desperate relatives of the patients in critical condition had suffered. 

Ramesh Thapa of Kohalpur 10, who was admitted as a patient at Bheri Hospital, said that the Center did not have blood of the required group and he managed to arrange the blood only after two days. Relatives of most of the patients have resorted to asking the public to donate their blood by posting on social media on a daily basis. 

The blood has been arranged for the time being, but if there is an emergency the situation will turn into chaos because of no stock at the Blood Transfusion Center. According to Regmi, the head of the blood bank, there is a demand of 50 to 60 pints of blood on a daily basis in Kohalpur and Nepalgunj.

Even in Kohalpur unit of Nepalgunj blood bank, the stock of blood is abysmally low, compelling the relatives to arrange blood by themselves. To mitigate the woes, efforts are being made to reduce the shortage as much as possible by bringing blood from Kohalpur to Nepalgunj and vice versa. 

Regmi informed that if at least 1000 pints of blood are in stock, there will be no problem. Due to the lack of blood, the Center has been asking various organisations and individuals every day to donate blood.