Erste banka donated a PCR diagnostic system for parallel detection of the novel coronavirus and other respiratory viruses, as well as sample storage freezers, worth a total of HRK 500,000, to the Andrija Štampar Teaching Institute of Public Health (hereinafter: “Teaching Institute”). The PCR system will not only contribute significantly to the total diagnostic capacities of the Institute, but will also allow parallel detection of the novel coronavirus and other respiratory viruses, which is especially important in children (for example, the capacity for parallel detection of the flu virus and the novel coronavirus in the same patient sample). This is important not only for the detection of patients infected with the novel coronavirus and the implementation of epidemiological measures to contain the virus, but also for the treatment method for patients infected with two respiratory viruses. Given the substantial number of samples that require storage at -80º C, the Bank also donated three freezers that the Institute will use to freeze viral nucleic acid of coronavirus-positive patients.
“The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has made polymerase chain reaction (PCR) molecular testing for the detection of this virus a very important part of the everyday analyses at the Andrija Štampar Teaching Institute of Public Health. As one of the three national referential laboratories for COVID-19 diagnostics in Croatia, the Institute has made a huge contribution to containing the epidemic in Croatia, doing around 300 tests a day and having tested a total of 11,781 persons so far. Testing continues, and will be needed during the next respiratory infections season in Croatia again in order to detect a possible second wave and a reappearance of the novel coronavirus,” said Dr Zvonimir Šostar, the Director of the Teaching Institute.
“Since the coronavirus epidemic has had significant negative implications on our society as a whole and since this situation requires a responsible and quick reaction from all its stakeholders, this is one of our ways of contributing to the efforts to prevent further spreading of the disease. We therefore hope that the acquisition of these devices will make the Teaching Institute’s work significantly easier. We would like to use this opportunity to thank all medical and supporting staff and the many experts who are working to prevent further spreading of the disease for all their hard work, which deserves utmost respect”, said Boris Centner, Member of the Management Board of Erste banka, on the occasion.
The donation to the Andrija Štampar Institute of Public Health continues the efforts that Erste banka has been investing, on its own and in cooperation with affiliate companies, in supporting healthcare institutions in the current circumstances. In early April, the Bank donated HRK 1 million to the Fran Mihaljević Clinic for Infectious Diseases, and the card company Erste Card Club donated HRK 300,000 to the Children’s Clinic Zagreb on Klaićeva street. The Bank has also decided to donate HRK 100,000 to the Bjelovar General Hospital, and Erste Card Club supported the Andrija Štampar Teaching Institute of Public Health with a donation of HRK 50,000 to help buy consumables. The total amount of donations to healthcare institutions to fight the pandemic and help repair the consequences of the earthquake has thus reached almost HRK 2 million.