Kathmandu, Oct. 28 -- Parek BK waited all day on Wednesday at the Central Blood Transfusion Service, popularly known as the blood bank, hoping someone would donate blood for his ailing one-year-old daughter.

BK, a resident of Naraharinath Rural Municipality in Kalikot district, travelled to Kathmandu for his daughter's treatment at Kirtipur Hospital, where she is being treated for serious burn injuries. But with another surgery scheduled for Thursday morning, he faced a fresh challenge: arranging two pints of blood by Wednesday evening.

"I've been waiting for hours at the blood bank and couldn't find a single donor," BK said. "I don't know anyone in this city who can donate blood for my daughter. I've just been waiting for someone to co...