As the patients and their kin have been running from the pillar to the post to get hold a few pints of blood, the blood bank, which is responsible to manage the supply across the country, has come up with somewhat bizzare explanation for the crisis.[break]
"Several schedule donation programs have been cancelled due to the rainfall, while the demand is surging," said Sobha Bista, a Public Relation Officer of the blood bank.
The blood bank has been able to supply around 200 pints of blood a day against the demand of 350 to 400 pints.
So what is it doing to address the crisis?
"We have been appealing to the prospective donors and the social organizations to organize donation camp urgently," Bista said.
The other thing that the blood bank is doing is to to ask the relatives of patients to either find donors on their own or to try their luck at Bhaktapur, Banepa and other branches of the blood bank.
But it is easier said than done.
"I do not know anyone in this city. How can I bring donors," complained Bharat Poudel of Ganeshesthan, Nuwakot. He was panicking as his pregnant sister-in-law remains unconscious at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) and the doctors had asked him to bring two pints of ´B positive´ blood immediately . He said that niether his or a relative who is attending the patient have a blood group that matches with the patient blood.
Even those who hail from the capital itself are panicking. Dhananjaya Shrestha, 57, from of Basbari, complained that the schedule surgery of his elder sister has been postponed due to the lack of blood. His elder sister, China Malla, is admitted at Om hospital for a kidney stone surgery. "The operation has been scheduled for 2 pm on Tuesday, but I haven´t found of a pint of blood so far," he complained. Shrestha said that he has been waiting at the blood bank´s reception for the last two days for the blood.
Similarly Ajit Kumar Khanal of Dillibazar complained that the treatment of his father has been halted due to the shortage of blood. He said that his father is suffering from lung cancer and doctors have asked him to arrange three pints of blood.
"After arranging two donors, I am stillwaiting for another one pint of blood," he said, adding that he has been doing rounds of various blood banks in the valley for last three days.
Bishnu Gaire of Arghakhachhi said that his relative is admitted at Sahid Gangalal Heart Center (SGHC) for the replacement of a heart valve and that the operation has been scheduled for Wednesday. "We need four pints of fresh blood. So far, we could manage only two donors," he said, adding the operation would be postponed if he failed to manage enough supply of blood.
"Due to the critical shortage of , we have been finding it hard to save lives," a female staffer at the blood Bank unit of the Maternity Hospital, said.
Though the hospital has been using blood brought for other patients besides urging the staffers and the intern nurses in case of emergencies, several schedule surgeries have already been postponed due to the critical shortage of blood, she added, insisting annonymity.
Likewise, Prasanta Koirala, a staffer at the blood Bank unit of the SGHC said that the unit has also been facing severe blood scarcity. "When the Central office of the blood bank face crisis, they send patients here," Koirala said.
Related story
Blood donation on birthdays gaining momentum
