ISLAMABAD, Oct 12: Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has collected 600 pints of blood during the last three days for the injured persons brought to the hospitals of the twin cities from earthquake-devastated areas.

The society has appealed to the people to donate more blood as the number of injured persons is increasing in the wake of hectic rescue operations in the far-flung areas of Azad Kashmir and NWFP.

The society chairman Lt-Gen (retd) Jahan Dad Khan has directed the PRCS blood bank to work round-the-clock as almost 100 people per day are visiting the blood bank for donation.

PRCS Blood Bank deputy director Dr Asma Parveiz Cheema said that the Red Crescent was in contact with all the hospitals. It provided blood to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Kahuta Research Laboratories Hospital and Ayub Medical Hospital on October 8 on emergency basis.

She said that mobile blood van was also functioning in the twin cities to facilitate the donors. She said that the bank was ready to meet any emergency need as they have 500 registered donors.

Dr Cheema said that at present any body with any group can donate the blood and added that only a person above 17 years of age having 50kg weight and no fatal disease can donate the blood. She said that people from all walks of life including students are enthusiastically ready to donate blood.

All collected blood would be grouped and screened to make them safe and stored in special refrigerators.

The Blood Bank Medical Officer Dr Ghulam Murtaza Qureshi said that a healthy person could safely donate blood after every 90 days and female after 120 days. After each withdrawal of blood it takes only 36 hours for the body to reconstitute the fluid volume and 15 days for the red blood cells to return to normal level.