HEALTH: Bank of Cyprus MoH set up Cyprus blood bank in Greece

Bank of Cyprus and the Ministry of Health have assisted the Reaction NGO in an initiative to set up a blood bank for Cypriots in

Greece.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) ranks

Greece

among 60 countries that are unable on their own to meet their requirements in blood and must rely on replacement donors. Across Europe, just six countries belong to this category. Research conducted by the WHO found that

Greece

meets less than 50% of its annual blood needs from volunteer blood donors.

Marios Stavrou of Reaction said that the Cyprus Blood Bank in Greece will provide relief to people worried about securing blood for treatment or surgery when in that country. This endeavour, Stavrou said, began in 2015 when the organisation was asked to assist in finding blood for a certain Cypriot patient. A few months later, the decision was taken to set up the blood bank with the support of the Ministry of Health and Bank of Cyprus.

From 2016 to date, through various actions in a number of hospitals across the Greek mainland, 49 blood bags were made available to 18 Cypriot patients, Stavrou added.

The ‘Cyprus’ Blood Bank began operating at the Ayios Savvas Hospital on Alexandras Avenue in Athens, next to the Attica Police Headquarters.

Any blood donor travelling to

Greece

or living there permanently can become a donor, as well as Cypriot students, permanent residents of

Greece

, Cypriot visitors/tourists.