Kathmandu: The Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) on Wednesday appealed to the public to donate blood after the long Dashain holiday disrupted donation programmes and depleted stocks at the country's blood banks, People's Review reported.

Source: People's Review

Dr Prakash Yadav, chief of the society's Central Blood Transfusion Service, said stocks of whole blood across all blood groups and packed red blood cells had been depleted, making it difficult to meet the needs of patients receiving treatment at hospitals, Business News Nepal also reported.

Source: Business News Nepal

Blood donation drives at the Central Blood Transfusion Service had largely stopped during the festive break, while hospitals continued to require blood for patients undergoing treatment. The resulting gap between supply and demand has made it difficult to meet patients' needs, the society said.

Dr Yadav urged healthy men and women aged 18 and above to donate blood, particularly those whose last donation was at least three months ago.

NRCS President Dr Bishal Kumar Bhandari also called on voluntary donors and organisations to organise blood donation programmes. He said the closure of offices and educational institutions during the festival had reduced opportunities for organised donation drives, disrupting the regular supply of blood.

Blood cannot be stored indefinitely, and hospitals depend on a steady supply to treat patients who need transfusions, including people undergoing surgery, accident victims and patients receiving treatment for conditions that require regular transfusions, the society noted.

The Nepal Red Cross Society provides blood transfusion services through centres and units at 120 locations across 73 districts. People who wish to donate blood or arrange blood for patients can contact the Central Blood Transfusion Service at 01-5388485 or 01-5388486, or call the society's toll-free hotline at 1130, and can use the NRCS BTS application for information about transfusion services.