Gilberto Madeira, Chairman of HNGV’s blood bank, said the hospital had been forced to dump the damaged stock.

Madeira said the hospital suffered weekly power shortages.

He called on Timorese public to donate blood and help replace the vital lost stock.

He said employers from the Ministry of Public Works and Youth and Sport had rallied to the cause donating more than 30 liters of blood between them this week.

Functioning white blood cells are needed to fight life-threatening bacterial and fungal infections.