More Than 1,700 Donate Blood in Bharatpur Festival Marking World Blood Donor Day

More than 1,700 people participated in a large-scale blood donation festival held Saturday at the Chitwan Industrial Exhibition Center in Bharatpur, where business expos are typically hosted.

Unlike previous commercial fairs, the venue this time saw crowds gather for a humanitarian cause. Regular donors joined the event alongside many first-time participants. According to the organizers, a total of 1,717 individuals donated blood.

Among the donors was 57-year-old Madhukala Wagle from Bharatpur-10, who donated blood for the first time. “I had heard about the importance of blood donation many times but never got the opportunity. Today I finally did,” Wagle said.

Bhanu Pokhrel, 49, from Madi also donated for the first time. Both were part of the event organized by the Chitwan chapter of the Blood Donors Society to mark World Blood Donor Day on June 14.

“Blood shortages are common in hospitals, but many eligible donors remain inactive. This large event was held to raise awareness and encourage participation,” said Ekaraj Burlakoti, president of the Chitwan chapter and event coordinator.

The goal was to collect 1,500 pints of blood, a target that was surpassed. “We exceeded our expectations,” said Bipin Pathak, the society’s secretary. Organizers also aim to recruit 1,000 new regular donors from among the participants.

Volunteers from all 98 wards of Chitwan’s seven municipalities helped coordinate the event. “Coordination with local development committees and awareness campaigns helped bring in a large number of donors,” Burlakoti added.

Dr. Bhojraj Adhikari, a medical advisor to the society, explained that healthy individuals between the ages of 18 and 65 can donate blood unless they are currently ill, pregnant, menstruating (within seven days), recently operated on, or on certain medications.

Technical and logistical support was provided by the Bharatpur-based regional blood transfusion center of the Nepal Red Cross Society. The center has the capacity to store 2,000 pints of blood and supplies hospitals both in and outside of Chitwan.

“With the involvement of college students and young people, we hope to establish a strong base of regular donors,” said Pathak.