The Guardian feature looks at first hospital in Romania built through private donations

The Guardian has published a feature about the first state hospital in Romania built entirely through private donations. The British publication described the healthcare facility as “a symbol of Romanian frustration with successive governments and a growing realisation that maybe citizens need to find their own solutions to the country’s problems.”

Local NGO Give Life Association (Asociatia Daruieste Viata), founded by Oana Gheorghiu and Carmen Uscatu, is behind this project. The hospital is set to open in early 2021 and, so far, more than 300,000 people and over 4,000 companies have donated money for it.

“Donations have poured in through the NGO’s website and via SMS. Some of the biggest donations have come from the energy companies OMV Petrom and Engie, as well as Mastercard. The average individual donation on the website is about EUR 16,” The Guardian wrote.

Even Metallica donated EUR 250,000 when they came to play a concert in Bucharest last August. In total, more than EUR 30 million has been raised so far for this project.

“I think Romanians needed a project to believe in because for the past 30 years nothing was built, no roads, no hospitals, no infrastructure,” Oana Gheorghiu said.

The new healthcare facility is being built on the grounds of one of the city’s existing hospitals and will treat children with cancer. The pediatric oncology wing will cover 12,000 sqm, with a floor dedicated to intensive care, six operating rooms and about 160 beds, The Guardian reported.

The new hospital will become part of the public health system upon completion.

The entire article is available here.

(Photo source: Facebook/Daruieste Viata)