OTP banka presented first donations to hospitals and announced a new cycle of the OTP Round Up donation scheme

As the first donation cycle of the Round Up donation scheme has been completed, on behalf of OTP banka d.d., Mastercard and all the clients rounding up their bills, the Šibenik Hospital Paediatric Ward and the Institute of Neonatology of the Zagreb Clinical Hospital have been awarded donations totalling HRK 527 thousand per hospital intended for procurement of much needed equipment. OTP Round Up scheme continues this year as well, and the hospitals that will benefit this time are the Children’s Clinic of the Split Clinical Hospital and the Children’s Hospital at Klaićeva in Zagreb.

OTP banka d.d. and Mastercard donated one million kuna in October last year, thus starting one of the most significant donation schemes for the public health institutions, with the intention of helping two Croatian hospitals acquire necessary equipment for children’s wards each year. Little patients courageously enduring their illnesses will be provided not only better diagnostic and care, but also a more pleasant stay in hospitals. As many as 12 thousand clients of OTP banka took part in the scheme in a way that, when they paid by their Mastercard^® cards, they rounded up the amounts and contributed daily to the increase of the total amount in excess of the initially donated HRK 1 million, as paid by OTP banka d.d. and Mastercard.

Professor Veselin Škrabić, Ph.D. med., head of the Children’s Clinic of the Clinical Hospital in Split said: “I am honoured that OTP banka chose our Clinic for this donation cycle, and that our efforts to enable a better quality care and diagnostic for the children we treat here have been recognised. Modern diagnostic equipment will help us improve and accelerate diagnostic processes and thus shorten children’s stay in hospital. One of such devices is definitely a high-end ultrasound device used in paediatric cardiology, which will be bought from these donations. We would like to thank OTP banka d.d. and Mastercard for the initiation of this praiseworthy project, with a special thanks to all the citizens who have decided to join the campaign.“

Professor Goran Roić, Ph.D. med., spoke of the purpose of the donations and the needs in the Children’s Clinic at Klaićeva: “We are proud to say that despite all the challenges, adverse circumstances brought about by the pandemic, and a significant damage sustained in the earthquakes, the Clinic exercised high level of responsibility and continued its regular activities, primarily due to exceptional efforts and commitment of our staff.

Simultaneously with the repairs of the damage, we will also improve the accommodation facilities for our young patients, thus making sure that they can be accompanied by their parents (so-called rooming-in). This generous donation will be used to refurbish and equip the rooms, that is, to raise the level of accommodation to suits, in line with the new standards of modern paediatric medicine. The hospitalisation of our little patients, and their parents alike, would be less stressful, thus contributing to a higher treatment quality. On behalf of the Children’s Clinic in Zagreb, and on my own behalf, I would like to extend sincere gratitude to OTP banka d.d. and Mastercard on this charity project, their financial donation, and the exceptional corporate social responsibility and sensibility shown.“

“At the time when an additional burden is put on an already heavily burdened public health system, donations play an exceptional part in securing additional support to courageous health workers dealing with dire circumstances: fighting the pandemic and enduring the consequences of the earthquake damage. Throughout the year, OTP banka extended its helping hand to the hospitals nationwide. I am especially proud of the launch of our OTP Round Up scheme, and successful completion of the first round of donations to hospitals caring of the youngest. Our clients have recognised the value of this scheme, for which I am truly grateful. I am convinced that even more clients will join the scheme later on this year, in the second round“, said Balázs Békeffy, president of the Board of OTP banka d.d.

„Around 12,000 citizens who joined the OTP Round Up scheme recognised the importance of helping others, especially in these challenging times. I and very pleased to have the opportunity to join this scheme and thus help equip public health institutions, that is, help two of Croatian hospitals to procure the equipment necessary for children’s wards. I would like to take this chance to thank everyone who supported the project last year. I am quite certain that the sum total rounded up this year will be even higher “, said Gea Kariž, director of Marketing at Mastercard.

Last year, OTP banka provided over five million kunas to hospitals nationwide to help repair the damage sustained in the earthquakes, to fight against Covid-19 pandemic and to furnish children’s wards.

For more information about the Round-Up donation scheme, please visit otp-zaokruzi