Bhaktapur, July 23

Demand for blood has increased sharply in Bhaktapur in the last eight years.

The Bhaktapur chapter of Nepal Red Cross Society collects blood from volunteer donors and supplies to different hospitals that demand blood for immediate transfusion. It also provides blood to individuals.

According to the latest data of the chapter, 22,230 pints of blood were collected by the Bhaktapur chapter of NCRS  in the year 2016/17, while it supplied 38,433 pint of blood to different hospitals across the country.

Earlier, in 2009/10, 9,326 pint blood was collected while 16,126 pint was supplied. To meet the increasing demand, the chapter collects blood from organisations like Lions Club of Laliguras, Kathmandu, Divine Youth Club, Bhaktapur, Rotaract Club of District 3292 Nepal Bhutan, Round Table Nepal, among others.

Parsuram Pandey, secretary at Bhaktapur chapter of NRCS, said, “Seventy per cent blood is supplied to hospitals in Bhaktapur. Human Organ Transplant Centre, Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital and Bhaktapur Hospital, among others, consume most of the collected blood while 30 per cent blood is supplied outside the district.”

“Though, we have been collecting blood once in a week, each day 30 to 40 people come to the office seeking blood. In emergency cases, we sometimes immediately call donors and arrange blood,” he added.