Severe Blood Crisis in Chitwan, Koshi Prompts Red Cross Appeal
A severe blood shortage has emerged in Chitwan, prompting the Nepal Red Cross Society’s local branch to call for urgent blood donation programs to alleviate the crisis. The shortage is attributed to a decline in blood donation activities following recent elections, resulting in a daily requirement of approximately 150 units of blood. This deficit has adversely affected patients needing transfusions for treatment, with many relatives traveling to the Provincial Blood Transfusion Centre in Bhaktapur and other major hospitals to donate blood as replacements. Patients from outside the district are facing especially challenging circumstances in accessing necessary treatment.
Healthcare facilities such as Bharatpur Hospital and the Cancer Hospital are reporting critical shortages of blood, which is vital for surgeries, particularly in emergency situations. The need for blood is especially pronounced among cancer patients, new mothers, and accident victims.
The blood shortage issue is not restricted to Chitwan; it has also been noted in Koshi Province, where government and private hospitals are beset by similar difficulties. In this region, the inadequacy of available blood has forced patients’ relatives to seek blood donations personally, often resorting to social media platforms like Facebook.
Medical professionals underline the urgency of the situation, emphasizing that timely blood transfusions are crucial during emergencies such as surgeries, accidents, and childbirth. Dr. Shankar Prasad Adhikari, chairman of the Association of Private Health Institutions Nepal (APHIN) and director of Hamro Hospital in Biratnagar, has described the current challenges in blood management as a serious problem. He points out that insufficient blood storage at transfusion service centers is leading hospitals to request that relatives of non-emergency patients arrange their own blood donations.
