With no blood bank and blood transfusion centre in Baitadi, health workers at the district hospital are currently having a tough time catering to patients in need of blood. Dr Devendra Lekhak, said that the hospital is ill equipped to deal with emergency situations.

Every time the hospital receives critical patients or pregnancy related cases, it refers the patients to other districts. Usually, pregnant and new mothers are often diagnosed with low haemoglobin level, according to health workers.

Madhav Bhatta, of Melauli Municipality, said he experienced the effect of the district’s lack of blood bank firsthand when his younger brother was critically ill and needed blood.

“I had to call my friends and relatives to inquire what blood groups they were or if they knew anybody who had the same blood group as my brother,” he said.

Ram Bahadur Ter of Dhasarathchand Municipality said he had to take his brother and sister-in-law to Dhangadhi for treatment because they needed blood and the hospital did not have blood facility.

Santosh Padey, health assistant at the District Health Office, said they had been relying on security personnel for blood during emergencies, because most people do not willingly come forward to donate blood.

“Most people believe that they will become physically weak if they donate blood,” he said.

Dr Jagadish Chandra Bista, chief at the hospital, said that they were making efforts to establish a blood transfusion centre in the district, but it would take some time.

“Setting up a blood bank in a hill district is a challenge. We have managed to purchase some equipment to open a blood bank facility, but it is going to be a long process,” he said.