Bosnia urged to accelerate progress towards Eurotransplant membership

Speaking at a press conference, BiH Minister of Civil Affairs Dubravka Bosnjak emphasised that alongside public awareness efforts, bringing Bosnia and Herzegovina closer to joining Eurotransplant, an international non-profit organisation facilitating cross-border organ exchange and allocation among member states, remains equally critical.

Bosnjak stated that while the ministry has exhausted all measures within its state-level jurisdiction, patients will only benefit if competent health authorities drive the integration forward.

“It is time for the competent health authorities, primarily the entity ministries of health, to take over this work and see it through to completion. The timing is extremely favourable, as Eurotransplant is open to and supportive of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as are countries in the region, including Slovenia and Croatia, which have promised to help us. We also have donor campaigns, growing public awareness, patient associations, and the Donor Network in BiH. Most importantly, we have doctors who have the expertise and the willingness to perform transplants,” Bosnjak said.

However, she warned that despite strong international backing and a supportive environment, domestic organ donation capacities, transport networks, and transplant programmes must ultimately be built by Bosnia and Herzegovina itself.

Bošnjak noted that this year’s promotional campaign, titled #BudiDonor – Reci svojima! (Be a Donor – Tell Your Loved Ones!), aims to encourage citizens across Bosnia and Herzegovina to gather information, make an informed decision, and discuss their choice with family members.

Zeljko Zupan, a professor at the University of Rijeka’s Faculty of Medicine, highlighted that European Organ Donation Day fosters solidarity and helps people recognise the profound impact of organ donation.

“The right to transplant treatment is one of the fundamental human rights and should be available to everyone, everywhere. There should be no restrictions,” Zupan remarked.

He expressed confidence that the event would boost public engagement, noting that Bosnia and Herzegovina already possesses nearly all the required legislation, legal frameworks, and institutional and economic capacities to establish a robust programme.

Halima Resic, president of the Donor Network in BiH, acknowledged the support of the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the network’s ongoing cooperation with entity-level health ministries.

“If the institutions had stood by us 20 years ago, we would certainly have joined Eurotransplant long ago, because we have the capacity,” Resic said.

She added that 16 organ transplants have been performed in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina this year, though overall organ donation rates across the country continue to lag.