With more awareness, blood donation camps have been receiving overwhelming response in Jamshedpur.

And the East Singhbhum unit of Indian Red Cross Society hopes to replicate the trend at a mega camp on Thursday to mark World Voluntary Blood Donation Day.

To be held at Red Cross Bhavan at Sakchi, the organisers are expecting to collect more than 1,300 units to help those in need and maintain stocks of the Jamshedpur Blood Bank.

Though the Indian Red Cross Society organises two major blood donation camps - one on May 8 and another on October 1 - monthly camps have also helped Jamshedpur Blood Bank immensely.

"The target is usually 1,000 units, but this time we are expecting 1,300 units. In May, we collected 1,225 units, which was a huge success. Earlier, there were fewer donors, but with awareness and regular blood donation camps, the flow has been encouraging," said Bijay Singh, president of Indian Red Cross Society.

Voluntary Blood Donors Association plays an important role in such camps. The local chapter of Indian Red Cross Society has appealed to corporates, cultural organisations and NGOs to come forward and donate blood

"We have to maintain a balance between collection of blood at camps and ensuring its use by patients. Storing a huge collection is a problem because we can store blood for 35 days only. We always ask organisations to regulate blood donation by organising camps," said an official of Jamshedpur Blood Bank.

Singh said Red Cross also helps outstation patients in need.

"There are still some places where awareness levels are low. In case patients require blood of a rare group, we send our volunteers who travel there and donate blood," he explained.