Review article
The Croatian Transplant Program
Marina Premužić
Martina Anušić Jurčić
Abstract
The history of organ transplantation in Croatia goes back more than 50 years. Today, all solid organ transplants for adults and children take place in five licensed transplant centers: KBC Rijeka, KBC Zagreb, KB Merkur, KB Dubrava and KBC Osijek. Transplantation is a field of medicine that, more than any other, relies on humanity and altruism and therefore requires wide-ranging public support. The Croatian transplant program is based on an effective organizational model, meaning successfully running donor and transplant programs, abiding by bioethical principles and a clear legislative framework, as well as components of international cooperation with Eurotransplant. Today, all organs can be successfully transplanted in Croatia, including combined transplants and transplants in children. Between 2020 - 2023, a total of 1,068 solid organ transplants were performed, while about 85% were performed at KB Merkur and KBC Zagreb transplant centers. In post-pandemic 2023, the achieved transplant rate was 81.9 per million inhabitants. Despite the annual donor rate being around 30 donors per million inhabitants, and the fact that up to 300 patients are transplanted annually, the number of patients on the waiting list is still increasing, which indicates the growing need for transplant treatment. The rise in the number of patients on the waiting list for 2023 was about 30% greater than in 2022. Therefore, in order to improve the health of the entire population, it is of utmost importance to continue to develop the national transplant program and ensure the availability of organs for patient transplantation. The results of the national transplant program are recognized worldwide, and this is owing to the dedicated work of all multidisciplinary teams in clinical and general hospitals, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health as the national coordinating body. Such an acheivement would not have been possible without the absolute support of the public, the solidarity of our citizens, and their faith in the act of giving and helping those in need.
Keywords
Ministry of Health; transplant centers; national transplant program; donor program; humanity; altruism
Hrčak ID:
315849
URI
Publication date:
9.4.2024.
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