More than 40 police officers from the Sofia Directorate of the Ministry of Interior, two ministers and hospital executives donated blood in a joint initiative by the Ministry of Interior and St. Ivan Rilski University Hospital. The initiative was attended by Health Minister Katya Ivkova, Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev, Sofia Directorate of the Ministry of Interior Director Senior Commissioner Nikolay Peltekov and the head of the medical facility, Associate Professor Nikolay Stoilov, MD.
The aim of the initiative is to encourage voluntary blood donation and draw attention to the importance of every blood donation. The Ministry of Interior said that similar initiatives are planned in cooperation with medical facilities and the Ministry of Health in various regions across the country.
Appeal to citizens
“Police officers are people with big hearts and are always ready to help. Today we have an opportunity to show this in practice and to call on citizens to join such an initiative as well,” Ivan Demerdzhiev said.
The minister pointed out that one unit of blood could be life-saving for another person. According to him, voluntary blood donation should become an established practice.
“It is not that difficult for someone to donate one unit of blood, while at the same time it can be life-saving for someone else,” Demerdzhiev said.
Defibrillators in patrol cars
The Ministry of Interior plans to equip patrol cars with defibrillators next year. Officers will be trained to use the devices, the interior minister said.
Volunteer paramedics are also already being trained within the structures of the Ministry of Interior. Their training is part of the ministry’s efforts to ensure that its employees can provide assistance in emergencies.
Katya Ivkova thanked the police officers for taking part in the initiative. “We know that every drop of blood saves human lives, and that is why we are setting a personal example,” the health minister said.
Ivkova expressed hope that the initiative would also motivate representatives of civil society to take part in voluntary blood donation.