CHITWAN, April 16: Blood demand in Chitwan district is rising steadily, but the number of donors is failing to keep pace—placing increasing pressure on an already strained blood supply system and leaving patients and hospitals struggling to cope.
According to Ramesh Kant Poudel, chief of the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) Provincial Blood Transfusion Centre in Bharatpur, daily demand has reached as high as 150 units.
By mid-March of the current Fiscal Year (FY) 2025/26, 11,532 units of blood were collected through 169 donation programmes, while 3,181 units were collected directly at the centre.
In the previous FY 2024/25, 18,577 units were collected from 287 donation programmes, along with 4,640 units at the centre. In FY 2023/24, the figures stood at 18,409 units from 298 programmes and 6,920 units at the centre. The data points to a clear decline in donations made directly at the centre.
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Last year, the Blood Donors Society Nepal (NBDS) alone organised a blood donation festival that collected 1,717 units of blood.
Poudel said patients from across the country come to Chitwan for treatment, driving up demand year after year. He attributed the shrinking donor pool to youth migration abroad and rising health issues such as hypertension and diabetes among older populations, which often disqualify them from donating.
“As the number of donors decreases and demand increases, maintaining balance has become difficult,” he said, adding that blood is now being sourced from neighbouring districts to bridge the gap.
Hari Poudel, president of the NRCS Chitwan branch that operates the centre, said even supplies collected from more than 14 neighbouring districts are insufficient. He noted that hospitals—including cancer centres, two medical colleges, Bharatpur Hospital, and private hospitals—are seeing a surge in patients and accident cases, sharply increasing blood demand. Chitwan, he added, ranks second only to Kathmandu in blood consumption.
Arjun Adhikari, president of NBDS, said better management of NRCS-run centres could further boost blood collection. He stressed the need for stronger coordination between centres, donors, and organisations.
BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital continues to receive patients from across the country, with cancer treatment consuming the highest volume of blood. Similarly, Chitwan Medical College’s cancer institute also reports sustained high demand.
Dr Bhojraj Adhikari, former chair of the Bharatpur Hospital Development Committee, called for stronger efforts to motivate donors. He said the importance of blood donation should be included in school and college curricula, along with incentives from the state.
He added that during a blood donation programme organised on the hospital’s anniversary, 57 people donated blood—including 18 first-time donors—highlighting the need to encourage new donors through sustained state support.
RSS
