Only 16 transplants performed in Bosnia in 2026 as European gap widens

Marking European Donation Day, observed from October 8 to 10 under the slogan "Sharing Life," the Association of Dialysis and Transplant Patients of the FBiH warned that the country remains at the bottom of Europe in transplant accessibility. Liver transplants have been halted in BiH for over two years, while kidney transplants occur only sporadically. Around 230 patients currently remain on active waiting lists, while approximately 400 dialysis patients die in BiH each year.

Despite the ongoing "Yes to Donation, Yes to Life" public campaign and two years of efforts by the Ministry of Civil Affairs to join Eurotransplant, progress remains limited. Meanwhile, European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and HealthCare (EDQM) data show that 96,401 people were on European transplant waiting lists at the end of 2025, with 6,626 patients dying before receiving an organ.

The Association stressed that individuals are 20 times more likely to need an organ transplant during their lifetime than to become a donor, emphasizing the vital importance of family discussions and signing donor cards.

Hosted this year in Paphos, Cyprus, European Donation Day honors donors and healthcare workers while promoting organ donation awareness. EDQM Director Petra Doerr described donation as an immense act of solidarity, noting that one-third of last year's European transplants were made possible by living donors. Landmarks including Strasbourg's Palais de l'Europe will be illuminated in green to mark the occasion, serving as a reminder that overcoming critical organ shortages relies heavily on public willingness to discuss donation and share life.