Bucharest mayor Gabriela Firea promoted a decision provisioning EUR 1,000 in meal vouchers for plasma donors, formerly infected with coronavirus - after the plasma transfusion proved to be among the most successful treatments used against COVID-19.

The decision was passed by the majority formed by the Social Democrats and the Alliance of Liberal and Democrats in the Bucharest General Council, Hotnews.ro reported. The plasma will be used to treat COVID-19 patients in critical condition.

The opposition accuses the project of being illegal and immoral because blood and plasma donation is a non-profit activity.

Moreover, Ana Ciceala, a city councilor from the Save Romania Union (USR), stated that the director of the Bucharest Blood Transfusion Center would not agree to sign a protocol for plasma collection under these conditions. Ciceala argued that COVID-19 patients should be helped regardless of whether they donate plasma or not, G4media.ro reported.

"From the point of view of public policies, Gabriela Firea proposes something that puts us among the countries of the third world. I have spoken with many experts, medical doctors, foundations that deal with blood donation, but also with the Blood Transfusion Center of Bucharest and they all say that such a measure would take us a hundred years ago in terms of policies of donating blood and plasma," said the municipal councilor.

editor@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/Gabriela Firea)