CHITWAN:  Chitwan has been facing dearth of blood of late. Rameshkant Paudel, chief at Nepal Red Cross Society Transfusion Centre, Bharatpur, said that though 40,000 units of blood were needed in Chitwan in a year, the centre received only 30,000 units.

According to Paudel, the relatives of patients collect blood through individual donors. “The centre brings some blood from other districts as well,” he said.

The centre supplies maximum amount of blood to Chitwan-based BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital. After surgery related to the head, heart, and kidney started in the city, there has been a rise in the demand for blood.

Chitwan is home to Bharatpur Hospital, two medical colleges and two dozen health facilities. As many as two dozen surgeries are performed at Bharatpur Hospital on a daily basis. The demand for blood has been increasing with the rise in number of patients, said Paudel.

Of late, the regional blood centre has been helping to collect blood in a scheduled manner. It organises regular blood donation schedule for Nepal Police, Nepali Army, Lions Club, political parties and their organisations.