Czech Republic: A campaign is to be launched to attract donors by offering them two beers in exchange for their blood in the Czech capital Prague Saturday, September 25, 2004, according to United Press International. The Web site of the Mlada Fronta Dnes newspaper quoted campaign organizer Jaroslav Novak, the editor of a monthly beer magazine, as saying he had been alerted to shortages of blood in local hospitals at frequent beer drinking sessions with Prague doctors.

Putting two and two together, Novak decided to promote both beer and blood at a city fair. He has ambitions to take the campaign country wide if it proves successful in Prague.

In August the World Health Organization recommended the Czech Republic do more to curb alcoholism in the country, which is the world's largest per capita consumer of beer. In the Czech Republic beer is commonly served in half liter (pint) glasses. A beer usually costs less than 75 cents a glass.

25 September, 2004