In the framework of the Fourth Bank Blood Donation Week, bank employees contributed to the national blood supply with nearly 3,500 units of usable blood. With this initiative and the volume of blood donated, the Hungarian Banking Association is setting an example for other sectors to follow. In addition to the Government Officials' Blood Donation Weeks, the Magyar Nemzeti Bank also joined the Good Bank Blood Donation Programme for the first time this year. Since its launch, the success of the programme has been unbroken, with more and more people taking part in the Bank's blood donations each year, doubling the number of donors since its inception.
In 2023, Bank Blood Donors' Week ran for two weeks due to the high number of bank employees who registered to donate blood. The number of bank blood donors increased by 88 with the accession of the Magyar Nemzeti Bank. The National Blood Service is able to provide the blood donated to nearly 3,500 patients with blood products to help their recovery.
In a statement, Sándor Nagy, Deputy Director General of the National Blood Service (NBS), said that during the Bank Blood Donors' Week, the extra blood provided by bank employees means security and predictability for them. He specifically highlighted that 13 percent of blood donors were first-time donors. In their experience, many first-time donors become regular blood donors.
Levente Kovács, Secretary General of the Hungarian Banking Association, highlighted the importance of personal example and social responsibility. One person helps three fellow citizens by donating blood. He sees Jelasity Radovan, President of the Hungarian Banking Association, who gave blood for the 41st time this week, as a role model to follow. The number of credit institution employees signing up for the Bank Blood Donors' Week is growing dynamically every year, which shows that the initiative has achieved several goals. On the one hand, more and more people are getting involved in donating blood at a time when the OCBC has the greatest need for a planned replenishment of blood stocks. On the other hand, the exemplary good deeds encourage social cohesion, care for the needy and donations.
Joining the promotion of blood donation, Richárd Lévai, CEO of the largest laboratory diagnostics service provider in Hungary and Europe, announced at the opening event that the art posters, created at the request of the Hungarian Banking Association, will be displayed at nearly 100 locations in Hungary in their blood collection network. They were created by art students of the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design in 2022 to encourage their peers to donate blood.
In addition to the Bank's blood donors, he expressed his special thanks to István Nagy, Minister of Agriculture, and Csaba Kandrács and Barnabás Virág, Vice-Presidents of the Central Bank, who participated in the Opening Event of the programme as voluntary blood donors.
17 October, 2023 Hungarian Banking Association
(Translated by: DeepL)