Once again, the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation actively and in solidarity supports the National Health System and Greek society, completing a timely and targeted donation to the National Blood Donation Center. Thus, the Foundation shares the message of national duty and moral debt, at a time when Greece, having overcome the economic crisis, is trying to face the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The donation to the National Blood Donation Center is part of the emergency programme budgeted at € 5,000,000 for the upgrade of the National Health System, aiming to cover urgent needs in the Public Health sector related to the handling of emergency cases, which is implemented by the Foundation in memory of those who lost their lives in the devastating wildfires of July 2018 in Mati, Attica.

The John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation shared and evaluated the long-term vision of the National Blood Donation Center in time, making this important donation that will render the institution even stronger in order to carry out its work and mission.

This donation, budgeted at approx. € 310,000, concerns:

• Τhe procurement of necessary operating equipment for Blood Donation Centre of West Attica of the National Blood Donation Center in Egaleo (314 Thivon st.) and includes necessary laboratory furniture (folding tables, blood collection chairs, IV poles, etc.). The Blood Donation Centre of West Attica has been successfully operating for 5 months, being the first specially designed space where the volunteer blood donor can donate blood in an out-of-hospital environment.

Particularly, the role of the Blood Donation Centre has recently been strengthened and is extremely important for maintaining blood supply amidst COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, the equipment has already been received for the second - out of a total of four Blood Donation Centre that are scheduled to be gradually developed in Attica -, which is located in the courtyard of the General Hospital “Elpis” and is expected to be operational in the near future.

• Τhe procurement of four van-type fully equipped vehicles which will be used immediately as mobile blood collection units. The vehicles have been received and are ready to be used in the mission of the qualified staff of the National Blood Donation Center, with the aim to meet the increased needs in blood units.

The President of the National Blood Donation Center, Mr Panagiotis Katsivelas, expresses his deepest gratitude to the administration and staff of the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation for their substantial contribution to the work of the National Blood Donation Center and for its strategic choice to support and to promote blood donation as an act of the highest humanitarian and social duty.