Hetauda, the capital of Province 3, is reeling from a shortage of blood for the past few weeks, affecting health services in many hospitals.

According to the Blood Transfusion Centre in Hetauda, the city needs around 20 pints of blood on a daily basis, but the centre is unable to provide the needed quantity.

“We are unable to provide blood to patients as demanded due to the shortage of blood. For emergency cases, we are collecting blood from regular donors,” said Tanka Dahal, the in-charge of the centre. “We can hardly collect 10 pints of blood these days.”

Shortage of blood is a regular phenomenon in Hetauda, which experiences a short supply in monsoon every year. According to Dahal, Hetauda reels from blood shortage from mid-June to mid-August every year, as the city runs less blood donation programmes but has a high demand for blood during the period.

As per the data of the centre, about one-third of supplied blood is provided to patients who are receiving treatment in various health institutions in Makwanpur, while two-thirds is for the patients from Makwanpur who go to Chitwan for treatment.

“We had been providing blood to the patients who go to neighbouring Chitwan district. But because of the shortage, we are no longer able to supply them with blood,” said Dahal. He, however, said the centre has managed to get blood for emergency cases.

“We have 80 regular blood donors. We will request them whenever we need blood for emergency purpose,” he told the Post.

Following the shortage, the blood transfusion centre has urged various social organisations, political organisations and individuals to launch blood donation programmes in the city.

Makwanpur district conducted only two blood donation programmes during the Nepali month of Ashadh (mid-June to mid-July).

Seventy-three blood donation programmes were organised throughout the district in the last fiscal year.

“With the increase in the demand for blood, more people have been coming forward to donate blood in recent years. However, there’s a blood shortage now mainly because blood donation programmes are rarely organised during the rainy season,” Dahal said.

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