It has been 58 years since the blood transfusion service started in Nepal

Initially, the first blood bank was brought into operation as Lakshmi Blood Bank under Veer Hospital. Established as the first blood bank in Nepal, this center collected only 157 units of blood during one year.

In the fiscal year 2080/81, Red Cross collected 294,477 units of blood and provided 4,6,271 units of blood and blood components to patients.

In the early days, blood was collected even from professional people who bought and sold blood, but from 2039-40, blood was collected by increasing the number of voluntary blood donors without taking blood from such people.

On March 24, 2048, the then government gave the Red Cross the sole right to operate blood transfusion services throughout Nepal. In the year 2050, the National Policy on Blood Transfusion Services was approved and implemented by the government.

Nepal Red Cross has launched a provincial level blood transfusion service in five places namely Biratnagar, Bharatpur, Pokhara, Nepalgunj and Dhangadhi in addition to the central blood transfusion service in Kathmandu. Emergency blood transfusion services are being provided in 24 districts at the district level and from 41 locations in different districts.

In a program organized here today on the occasion of the 59th Foundation Day of Blood Transfusion Service, Health Minister of Bagmati Province Kiran Thapa Magar said that the support provided by Nepal Red Cross in humanitarian services is important. In the

program, Umesh Dhakal, executive director of Nepal Red Cross Society, informed that in the financial year 2080/81, Red Cross collected 294,477 units of blood and provided 4,6,271 units of blood and blood components to patients. He said, 'The Blood Transfusion Service Center run by Nepal Red Cross Society will be opened on 2072 Baisakh 12 Even after the devastating earthquake, the blood donation program continued and the center was able to continue its services even during the Covid epidemic.

Executive Director Dhakalal informed that the blood service will be made more agile in the coming days. President of Nepal Red Cross Prada Sudarshan Prasad Nepal said to implement the basic spirit of 'Accessible, quality and dignified service: Nepal's blood transfusion service' and to fulfill the responsibility given to the organization by the Nepalese government. He said that Nepal Red Cross is committed.