(ECNS) -- A new sperm bank in the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing has been overwhelmed with a flood of enthusiastic donors, the Chongqing Evening News reported.
The sperm bank announced that it can only receive 10 new donors with reservations every day, but there are still many volunteers swarming to the institution.
Zhang Yi, a deputy director at the sperm bank, had promised to conduct primary testing for all of them, but advised donors to reschedule their appointments.
It usually takes about one and a half hours for a new donor to complete all the necessary procedures, including a medical check, registration and selection, Zhang added.
But Zhang is also concerned that the sudden interest in donating sperm, which follows a previous media report, may wane after two weeks.
Qualified donors can receive a subsidy of 5,000 yuan ($770), but the success rate to pass selection is around 24 percent, according to the report. However, donors who fail the tests can still get a traffic subsidy of 50 yuan.
The institute said it provided the financial incentives because China's cultural perceptions, such as those around the release of sperm being harmful to health, have caused a shortage of suitable sperm.
Just like blood donation, giving sperm is a humanitarian and charitable deed, said the manager of the sperm bank.
Approved by the Chongqing Health and Family Planning Commission, the sperm bank was established after three years of planning and one year of trial operation.
