Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, June 14:

Only 0.5 per cent of the total population in Nepal donates blood, when at least 5 per cent of them need to regularly donate blood to meet the national demand, according to the Central Blood Transfusion Centre (CBTC) of the Nepal Red Cross Society. Speaking at a programme to mark the World Blood Donors’ Day today, Dr Manita Rajkarnikar, chief of centre, said women constitute only 10 per cent of the total blood donors. “Still, Nepal is at the top among the developing countries for blood donation,” she said. She said the centre had collected 157 units of blood in 1956, the year in which it was set up. Now, it collects 80,000 units through 56 collection centres across the country. “Demand for blood is going up everyday,” Rajkarnikar

said. “Awareness on the importance of voluntary unpaid blood donation should be raised so as to encourage more people to become regular donors,” she said.

On the occasion, Dr Adik Wibiwo, World Health Organisation (WHO) representative, gave away the golden donor’s pins to four donors from the positive blood group who have donated for over 50 times and silver pins to 24 donors who have donated for over 25 times. Similarly, silver pins were provided to three donors from the negative blood groups who have donated for at least 10 times. Dr Wibiwo also gave away Running Shields to eight organisations for organising the best blood donation programmes. The winners of the inter-school debate competition and drawing competition organised to mark the day were also awarded. Nepal marked the second edition of the day this year with the theme ‘Celebrating your gift of blood.’