• Within our children healthcare programs, Vodafone Romania Foundation financed the "Sfanta Maria" Hospital from Iasi with the first videoduodenoscope for children
• The value of the equipment amounted to 80.000 USD
• The device allows the quick and efficient diagnose of digestive diseases for newborns and infants

Vodafone Romania Foundation allocated 80.000 USD for acquisition of the first endoscopic equipment that allows the diagnose for young children. This is the only one videoduodenoscope for newborns and infants from Romania and endowed the "Sfanta Maria" Emergency Hospital for Children in Iasi.

"Starting 2007, our activities included a new area - health, that has an important need of support. Last year, we allocated the amount of 630.000 USD to sustain programs for improving the medical care for children, in hospitals from all the country. These programs included endowing pediatric sections in hospitals with medical equipments, especially in disadvantaged regions and in isolated communities. One of the most important programs was the endowing of 'Sfanta Maria' Emergency Hospital for Children from Iasi, with the first videoduodenoscope in the country, designed for newborns and infants. Continuing the commitment of Vodafone Romania Foundation to better respond to the high needs of our community, this modern endoscope aims to improve the investigation methods for this age category", said Elena Serban, Director of Vodafone Romania Foundation.

"We are happy that our hospital will benefit, starting today, from this equipment that allows medical investigation of young children for digestive diseases. The pediatric side-viewing videoduodenoscope inaugurated today allows a rapid and reliable diagnosis of digestive diseases in very young children - newborns and infants. The increasing occurrence of digestive diseases of malformed type, as well as their impact on children growing and developing processes were the reasons for initiating this project. The equipment allows investigation and visual examination of the duodenum, as well as the investigation of biliary tract and pancreatic duct using a contrast substance. The endoscopic investigation offers huge advantages in diagnosis and choosing the therapeutic treatment and allows the gastroenterologists and surgeons to evaluate the extrahepatic biliary system in the situations when a hepatobiliary malformation is taken into account", said Prof. Dr. Marin Burlea, Manager of "Sfanta Maria" Emergency Hospital for Children in Iasi.

This program was selected by Vodafone Romania Foundation Board, from all the received proposals according to the general evaluation criteria, that can be find on the foundation site, at the address http://www.vodafone.ro/fundatia-vodafone/finantare/reguli-de-finantare.html.

The social projects sustained by Vodafone Romania Foundation in 2007, exceeded USD 2,500,000. Most projects addressed to the children and elder people, offering support in family abandon prevention, education and health areas.

Vodafone Romania Foundation is a Romanian non-governmental organization with a charitable status, distinct from the commercial operations of the company. The activity of the Vodafone Romania Foundation is financed by the Company through an annual budget. In addition, Vodafone Romania employees contribute with monthly donations though the payroll giving system, and Vodafone Group Foundation contributes with annual grants.