United against the coronavirus: Romanian companies donate millions for hospitals

Companies in Romania have already donated over EUR 7 million in cash to local hospitals and NGOs that support local hospitals in the last two weeks since the state of emergency was declared in the country, Romania-Insider.com has calculated based on official announcements from the companies.

Besides cash donations, many companies have also jumped to help local hospitals, quarantine centers, medical workers and those in the first line in the fight against the new coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic with free meals, car rides, accommodation, and other necessary products and services.

Thus, the total help provided by local companies in this period can probably be estimated at more than EUR 10 million. These donations come at a time when the local business sector is severely hit by the restrictions imposed by the authorities to limit the spreading of the coronavirus and by the standstill in the European and world economy.

State-owned electricity producer Hidroelectrica has announced the biggest donation so far, over EUR 2 million for seven hospitals in Romania. Oil group OMV Petrom has also donated EUR 1 million to the Romanian Red Cross for the purchase of rapid testing equipment for local hospitals. Tobacco producer Philip Morris has donated EUR 900,000 for testing equipment, mechanical ventilators and protection equipment, also through the Red Cross.

Gas producer Romgaz has given EUR 824,000 to the Sibiu County Hospital. Banca Transilvania, BCR and BRD-Groupe Societe Generale, the top three lenders in Romania, are also among the top donors, followed by electricity distributors Electrica and Enel Romania, and retailers Profi and Mega Image. Globalworth, the biggest office owner in Romania, has also donated EUR 200,000 through its foundation.

The list of cash donations includes about 35 companies, but there are also large groups that have announced in-kind donations without mentioning their value. For example, retailers Kaufland and Lidl have donated 100,000 harvesting pieces for nasal and pharyngeal exudate for Covid-19 Real-Time PCR tests, Rompetrol group has donated 2,500 testing kits and fuel, while retailer Carrefour and meat producer CrisTim have donated food for local hospitals.

The donations list can be found in PDF here.

There are, however, many more companies that have made donations during this period, supporting various initiatives launched by local NGOs at a national or regional level. We will try to update this list regularly when these donations become public.

(Photo source: Dreamstime.com)