Fewer Romanians chose to donate blood in the first quarter of 2014, and voluntary donation decreased by 2 percent in this period, an important drop considering the need for blood is high, according to the director of the Bucharest Transfusion Center, Doina Gosa.

A total of 40,600 units of blood were collected in 2012, while in 2013, the number increased to 46,212 units. However, a drop of 2 percent was registered in the first three months of this year, reports local news agency Mediafax.

In Doina Gosa's opinion, the lack of a project to promote donations is one of the reasons why there is a decline in interest for donation.

According to her, the main beneficiaries of blood collected through donations are the Floreasca Emergency Hospital and the Fundeni Institute in Bucharest, the Cluj County Hospital, the Timisoara County Hospital and the Iasi County Hospital.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com