CHITWAN: Bharatpur Metropolitan City has introduced lessons on blood donation in its local school curriculum for students in Grades 6 to 8, aiming to foster a culture of voluntary blood donation from an early age.
The metropolis has claimed that it is the first local government in Nepal to introduce blood donation education as part of the school curriculum.
The lessons, developed by the metropolis itself, have been incorporated into the disaster management section of the curriculum in view of the recurring shortage of blood in Chitwan district.
Subashchandra Acharya, chief of the metropolis’s Education Administration Division, said the lessons aim to instil humanitarian values, social responsibility and a willingness to donate blood among students.
Similarly, Acting Mayor Chitrasen Adhikari said the curriculum highlights the need for blood donation, its importance and its humanitarian value. He added that the subject was included after consultations with medical professionals and education experts.
Chitwan has a high demand for blood due to the presence of major healthcare institutions, including the federal-level Bharatpur Hospital, BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital, two medical colleges and more than 20 private hospitals.
Patients undergoing cancer treatment, childbirth and emergency medical care frequently require blood transfusions, contributing to the district’s high demand.
The district requires around 150 units of blood daily. However, frequent shortages often force patients and their families to search for donors to meet their medical needs.
Bharatpur Metropolitan City currently has 111 community schools and 97 institutional schools. According to the metropolis, 74 community schools and 80 institutional schools offer lower secondary-level education, with more than 25,000 students enrolled in these grades.
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