Renu Kshetry

Kathmandu, July 26:

Unnecessary demand for blood by hospitals and nursing homes has created an imbalance in the stock in blood banks, experts say. “If hospitals in the valley demanded only necessary amount of blood, it would not be wasted,” Dr Manita Rajkarnikar, director at the Central Blood Transfusion Service (CBTS), operated by the Nepal Red Cross Society, told The Himalayan Times. “Most of the hospitals lack equipment to preserve blood due to which it is wasted.” Last year CBTS collected 8,2677 units of blood and provided 1,23,042 units to the needy patients from 41 districts. The CBTS alone collected 31,293 units of blood while the target was to collect only 30,000 units. The blood donated by volunteers has increased by nearly 3,000. “Female donors’ number has increased by 4 per cent which is very low as blood is mostly used by women,” said Dr Rajkarnikar.

The CBTS was established 39 years ago with only one centre in Kathmandu and collected only 157 units in the initial years. “Very few women donate blood because of health factors and low participation of women in health institutions,” she said, adding, “The government should provide funds to the blood bank so that the quality of blood can be maintained.” The centre also tests blood for HIV and Hepatitis B virus. The centre started the test of Hepatitis C in 1997. “We have to make people aware that donation of 300 millilitre of blood once in three months will not make any difference in their health,” said Dr Rajkarnikar. Dr Hari Nath Acharya, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, said the government was serious about improving blood preservation system. The ministry has started a series of dialogues with CBTS on the issue, he said.