Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada K.V. Rajendra launched a four-day mobile blood collection drive in the city on Wednesday.
Dakshina Kannada unit of the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) and Dakshina Kannada Union of Working Journalists (DKUWJ) have jointly initiated the drive in which four persons can donate blood at a time on a mobile bus.
Flagging off the van near Mangaluru Press Club, Mr. Rajendra said that blood collection in the district has come down in view of COVID-19. Now, the IRCS has taken up the initiative to meet the shortage by collecting blood from donors on a vehicle.
The bus collected 17 units of blood till noon.
According to Mr. Shetty, the IRCS collects 250 units to 300 units of blood every month and gives them to the Government Lady Goschen Hospital. Last month, it gave 345 units of blood to the hospital. It has to collect more than 1,000 units of blood every month to meet different requirements.
Rotary Club, Mangaluru, has donated the van to the IRCS for blood collection.
Chairman of Dakshina Kannada unit of the IRCS Shantharama Shetty, honorary secretary S.A. Prabhakara Sharma, president of DKUWJ Srinivas Nayak Indaje and general secretary Ibrahim Adkasthala and others were present.
Those who want to donate blood can contact IRCS co-ordinator Praveen Kumar on Ph: 9916262459.
