Coronavirus: Bulgarian Society of Ophthalmology fundraises for medics and their families

The Bulgarian Society of Opthalmology has launched a fundraising campaign to help doctors, medical professionals, volunteers, as well as their families, who are in the frontline of the fight against Covid-19 new coronavirus.

The campaign is being conducted with the participation of the Sofia Ophthalmological Society, Bulgarian Doctors Union, Alexandrovska Hospital, First City Hospital in Sofia and the Organization of the Jews in Bulgaria “Shalom”.

More than 700 members of the association, including specialists, post-graduate students as well as members of the participating organisations listed above, are assisting their colleagues and compatriots.

Support will take the form of, among other things, delivery of food to the families of medical professionals who are engaged in combating the spread of coronavirus and in treating the rising number of confirmed cases.

Support for the campaign is encouraged from anyone who would like to help because, in the words of the motto, “together we will cope”.

Donations may be made to the Bulgarian Society of Ophthalmology, held at Unicredit Bulbank.

IВАN: BG95UNCR70001523206626
BIC: UNCRBGSF
The reason for the deposit should state Дарение КОВИД 19 (Donation Covid 19).

Associate Professor Alexander Oscar, head of the Ophthalmic Diseases Clinic at Alexandrovska Hospital, told Bulgarian National Radio on March 17 that in just 24 hours, that eye specialists, relatives and friends, as well as members of participating organisations had donated more than 25 000 leva.

A meeting had been held on March 16 with the president of the Bulgarian Doctors Union, Dr Ivan Madzharov, which had outlined the basic guidelines for assisting health care professionals and their families.

“Clear criteria are to be worked out by the end of the week. Our desire is to help colleagues and their families, and especially those colleagues who have been locked up for days in the respective hospitals,” said Dr Oscar.

At Alexandrovska Hospital, deputy director Associate Professor Dimitar Bulanov was directly leading the process against Covid-19 and together with Dr Tomov, had not been home for two weeks.

Professor Iva Petkova, head of the Bulgarian Society of Opthalmology, said that ophthalmology specialists, said that ophthalmology specialists would find it difficult to get involved in the fight against Covid-19. The initiative for the fundraising had come from members of the society. “We decided that this is the way we can show our commitment to our colleagues.”

(Main photo: The team of the Ophthalmology Clinic at Alexandrovska Hospital)