June—and the summer months in general—have not been the most generous times for blood donation centers. Traditionally, donors tend to focus on vacations or agricultural work, and the Bacău Blood Transfusion Center would usually see no more than 500 to 600 donors in June.
But this year brought a pleasant surprise.
“In June, we registered over 800 donors. I can’t say exactly why, but we are extremely happy because this helps us meet hospital demands,” said Dr. Adriana Ghindă, director of the Bacău Blood Transfusion Center.
“We continue to encourage young people to overcome their fears. We provide full safety and comfort.”
Donation Guidelines During Heatwaves
With high summer temperatures, certain precautions are needed when donating blood. Dr. Ghindă highlighted key recommendations:
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Stay well hydrated
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Eat a nutritious breakfast before donating
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Avoid rushing off immediately afterward due to the temperature difference between the air-conditioned center and the outdoors
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Beneficiaries are offered water, and even calcium supplements if needed
“We screen each donor before the procedure to ensure they’re in good health,” added Dr. Ghindă.
Tech Meets Blood Donation: BloodDoChallenge App
Currently, blood stocks are stable, and management has been enhanced by the BloodDoChallenge app, which allows donors to book appointments and check weekly updates on supply needs by blood type.
“If we have surplus in a certain blood group, it’s temporarily blocked for new donations until the stock balances,” explained Dr. Ghindă.
“We avoid overstocking because blood expires in 42 days, after which it must be discarded—and we can’t afford to waste it. A single blood unit is costly, including the bag, testing, and donor benefits.”
Donor Benefits
Blood donors receive a 280 lei voucher, a day off from work or school, and in many cases, free public transportation, depending on local council policies.
No Sign of West Nile Virus—So Far
With summer also comes heightened surveillance for West Nile virus.
“So far, no cases have appeared. We hope it stays that way. If the virus does show up, we’ll continue activity as usual, but validation times for blood samples are slightly delayed, since we must send them to the national reference lab,” said Dr. Ghindă.
In short, June 2025 was a record-breaking month—and a hopeful sign for blood donation in Bacău.
