The Romanian Government decided in its Thursday meeting to allocate RON 30.1 million (EUR 6.6 million) for building and equipping four blood and human tissue and cell banks in Bucharest, Iasi, Targu Mures, and Timisoara.

The money was allocated for the period 2017-2018, and the banks will be used to ensure emergency treatment for patients that need tissue transplantation, “thus avoiding import and the risky treatment postponement,” the Government announced in a statement.

“The Government approved today, through a decision, the allocation of RON 30.1 million to the Ministry of Health, for the years 2017-2018, in order to meet the objectives of a PHARE project (PHARE Project 2006 / 018-147.03.11 ) for the implementation of the European Union directives on blood banks - hospital transfusion units - the therapeutic use of human tissues and cells,” reads the statement.

“The project aims to increase the number of interventions for organ, tissue (especially skin for burns), and cell transplantation for patients on waiting lists, but also to decrease treatment costs for chronic diseases.”

The money will be allocated from the budget approved for the Health Ministry, with most of the amount, namely RON 29.78 million being allocated for 2017, and the rest of RON 0.32 million for 2018.

The Government also approved, on Thursday, the allocation of RON 14.43 million (EUR 3,1 million) for the protection of children with behavioral disorders, during the period 2017-2019. The amount will be provided from the state budget, through the budget approved for the Ministry of Labor and Social Justice.

At least eight specialized residential services and eight daycare centers for children with behavioral disorders are to be created within this project, to help these children reintegrate into society, school or family.

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