Mangaluru : The Dakshina Kannada unit of the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) would observed World Blood Donor Day at Regional Advanced Paediatric Care Centre (RAPCC) at Wenlock Hospital at 4 pm here on June 14.

The helpline of the IRCS Blood Bank will be launched on the occasion. Addressing mediapersons here on Friday, IRCS District Blood Bank Committee Chairman Dr Sushil Jathanna said the helpline (08242-424788) would provide information on the availability of blood in other blood banks in the hospitals of Mangaluru and surrounding areas. The helpline would be active from June 14, he added.

IRCS District Chairman Shantaram Shetty said Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer P I Srividya would be the chief guest. As a part of the World Blood Donor Day programme, a blood donation camp would be organised on the premises of Lady Goschen Hospital from 9 am to 12.30 pm, he added.

He said that five blood donors, who have donated highest units of blood, would be felicitated on the occasion. Also, the persons, who have helped the IRCS in organising blood donation camps, would be felicitated. Dr Jathanna said one unit of blood could save three lives and a healthy person could donate one unit of blood once in three months. He requested the people to donate blood. The blood would be checked for infections before transfusion, he added.

IRCS Disaster Management Committee Chairman Venu Sharma was present.