State health minister Banna Gupta on Tuesday inaugurated a mobile blood donation van from his residential office in Doranda, and seven persons donated blood.

The Telegraph had reported earlier how stock at the RIMS blood bank was running low. “Apart from Ranchi, such vehicles are already running at Deoghar, Hazaribagh and Palamau for the last five days. With the help of this vehicle blood donation camp can also be organised in rural areas despite the lockdown,” said Gupta.

The minister appeared confident about the availability of blood.

“I have information of having 7,000 units of blood available at different blood banks across the state. Thus I can say that presently we do not have any crisis of blood. With this vehicle we can increase the number in days to come as during lockdown organising blood donation camps is not an easy task,” Gupta said.

Atul Gera, founder president of voluntary organisation Life Saver, said: “Blood collected with the help of his vehicle will be deposited at the Sadar Hospital. This is a good initiative of the state government.”

Social organisation Ek Kadam Rashtra Ke Naam, which has been feeding around 2,300 underprivileged persons every day at Gaon Restaurant near Lowadih and at Hotel Raj Residency at Kutchery Chowk, contributed 30 units of blood on Tuesday to RIMS.

“RIMS conducts blood donation camps which could not be done in March and April and hence we felt the need to contribute,” said Suresh Sahu, the organisation’s chief convenor. The organisation was formed with a handful of members of Samlong in the capital, said Santosh Kumar, another founding member.

RIMS blood bank councillor Kavita Deogharia lauded the organisation's role at a time people are scared to come to RIMS for fear of contracting Covid-19. “We want more people to come forward and help in this social cause of blood donation,” she added.