About 600 persons donate blood in Moldova daily. During the first 5 months of 2009, the volunteer donors – other than the relatives and friends of the people who need blood – accounted for 25% of the total, while the ratio was 18% last year. Since 2005 , 6 projects with investments from abroad have been going on to back the blood donating system. 5 grants were allocated. This year the government will use 31 million lei for this purpose, health minister Larisa Catrinici told a news conference on Friday. The blood collecting points work all the day, as each donor is then given food worth 50 lei. 52 of the emeritus donors will be offered free dental care services this year, worth 800 lei each, the minister said. A national campaign called “Donate life'' – running since June 1 – encourages especially the youth to donate blood systematically, the deputy director of the Blood Transfusion Center, Victor Savca, has told Info-Prim Neo. The message of the drive is conveyed through billboards, media and sms's. The Blood Transfusion Center's labs are well equipped and their safety is appreciated by European specialists, says Aliona Sarbulenco, an official of the Health Ministry. The International Blood Donor Day is marked on June 14. A concert will be performed on this occasion in Chisinau's central park, held by the Health Ministry and the Blood Donors Association from Moldova. At the ceremony they will award emeritus donors, says Svetlana Cebotari, the director of the Transfusion Center.