At the beginning of the year, there were significant changes in the blood transfusion system: Romanians rushed to donate blood in such large quantities that some centers were forced to limit access. Donate blood either by appointment or by giving preference to scarce blood types and loyal donors who do it regularly.

The phenomenon was based on purely financial reasons, and not at all the need of Romanians to voluntarily help their compatriots. Since January, blood donation has been rewarded with food stamps worth 280 lei, which is more than four times more than before. In order to understand the consequences of this measure, “Panorama” talked to specialists in this field.

In non-governmental organizations, such a reward is considered a financial temptation that promotes donation competition. Although the collection is larger, it is not without epidemiological risks, say some workers at blood transfusion centers.

At the same time, Romania appears to be moving away from the World Health Organization’s goal of achieving 100% voluntary contributions by the end of 2024.

In addition, we are not only among the few European countries that offer incentives to blood donors, but we are the only country in the European bloc where the amount of compensation exceeds 50 euros per donation.

Read the article on Panorama.ro