Blood demand difficult to meet Rupandehi needs

By Laxman Paudel,Bhairahawa, July 3: Anxious individuals with the hope of getting enough blood for his/her kin’s treatment can be seen waiting in queues 24/7 at the Blood Service Centre in Rupandehi.

The centre, which used to earlier send up to 50 units of blood daily to the neighbouring districts of Nawalparasi, Palpa, Dang and Chitwan, is now facing an acute shortage of blood.

According to the concerned officials, there is a demand for around 100 units of blood daily at the centre. 

"An individual comes seeking three to five units of blood for the treatment of kin. 

However, we are unable to meet the demands of all arriving at the centre," said Chandra Bahadur Jhedi, a lab technician at the centre.

People arrive at the blood centre in Rupandehi not only from the hospitals within the district but also from neighbouring districts. 

"Several individuals can be seen running here and there in search of blood. The shortage has affected the treatment of many," said Jhedi.

Some officials said that the blood shortage was a result of a lack of enough participation in blood donation.

"There are only a few individuals who donate blood on a timely basis. We need donors to meet the demands. 

However, the campaigns for blood donation have not been able to reach the masses effectively," said Krishna Chauhan Chhetri, general secretary at the Society of Nepal Swayamsevi Raktdata Samaj, a society of blood donors.

Dinesh Thapa, who was in a crowd of individuals seeking blood at the centre, informed that he got blood only after he and his friend donated blood.

Despite a rise in patients looking for surgery and kidney dialysis among others across the hospitals of Rupandehi, stakeholders argued that the health centres were not focusing on the need for establishing blood banks and encouraging people to donate blood.

"It is of some relief when youths and officers from our country's security forces arrive even at midnight to donate blood for emergency cases. 

However, we need to encourage mass blood donation campaigns across the country," said Chauhan.

Doctors informed that healthy individuals aged over 18 years can donate blood once every three to four months. 

"But the problem is that people are unaware that timely blood donation is a healthy habit. If every healthy individual donates blood regularly, the blood shortage problem will be solved," said Dipak Chhetri Neupane, chairman of Nepal Red Cross Society, Rupandehi.