Italian Bitcoin-funded Coronavirus Medical Center Now Operational

A successful bitcoin (BTC)-funded campaign to build and equip a coronavirus-fighting medical facility near Rome, run jointly by the Italian Red Cross, has wrapped up – with the center now up and running.

The campaign saw what the Italian Red Cross has called a “second-level Advanced Medical Post for pre-triage” created in Castel Gandolfo, a town 25km from Rome, by the Italian Red Cross’ Colli Albani Committee.

An initial campaign – co-run by blockchain-powered donations platform Helperbit – to construct the “purchase the core infrastructure and medical equipment” for “COVID-19 pre-triage,” and provide medical staff with personal protective gear met and exceeded its original USD 11,000 target.

A second target of BTC 4.1024 (around USD 30,000) was then set, which would provide the funds needed to add the capacity to host emergency operations – and fit the center with life-saving equipment, including a defibrillator and diagnostics monitors.

That second target’s deadline expired on April 9, and saw a total of BTC 5.0192 (around USD 36,776) raised, 32% over target for the total.

In a Helperbit blog post, Bruno Pietrosanti, The Italian Red Cross’ Colli Albani Committee president, extended his thanks to the crypto community, stating,

“We are happy to have turned the received donations into a tangible aid and we are excited to have received so much help from the Bitcoin community.”

A total of 158 donors gave BTC funds, per campaign data, with individual and corporate donations ranging in size from fractions of a bitcoin to a one-off anonymous injection of BTC 2.6406 (around USD 19,352).