Bharatpur—A total of 1,717 people donated blood in a single-day event held in Bharatpur, setting a new national record for the highest number of blood donations at one location in Nepal.

The Blood Donors Society Nepal, Chitwan branch, organized the blood donation festival on Saturday, with participants from all seven local governments of the district.

Of the total blood collected, 1,536 units were stored by the Nepal Red Cross Society’s Regional Blood Transfusion Center in Bharatpur, and 181 units by the Bharatpur Hospital Blood Bank.

The event was organized to mark World Blood Donor Day (June 14). “There’s often a shortage of blood during treatment, yet many who can donate don’t come forward. This event aims to raise awareness and encourage blood donation,” said Ekaraj Burlakoti, president of the Chitwan branch.

According to the organizers, this event has broken the previous record of 1,500 units collected at Tundikhel, Kathmandu, in 2018.