The Association of Dialysis and Transplant Patients of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (UDIT FBiH) warns that the number of transplantations in BiH is devastating, and the waiting lists would certainly be longer if patients had hope that one day they will be transplanted in their country.
“Unfortunately, BiH did not fare well after the declaration of the pandemic, in early 2020. We waited for more than a year and a half for the first transplantation, which took place on July 21st, 2021 in University Clinical Center (UCC) Tuzla. After that, we had another one in September, and recently three more from the deceased person. In the last 20 months, only five transplantations, which is unacceptably small. The number of dialysis patients in BiH is about 3.000, and a third (ie about 1.000) could be transplanted,” it was said.
As they emphasized on the occasion of the European Day of Organ Donation and Transplantation, “with the delay of the transplant process in BiH, we directly influenced the development of transplant tourism abroad, especially in the Republic of Turkey, where our patients seek salvation.”
According to the press release, there are currently about 270 patients on the waiting lists in FBiH for kidneys and about 20 for heart and liver.
“The list would certainly be longer if patients had hope that one day they would be transplanted in their country. But instead, they are forced to collect money and seek salvation outside the borders of BiH, which must be changed urgently,” it is stated.
Today, UDIT FBiH will mark October 9th – European Day of Organ Donation and Transplantation, independently and in cooperation with the Donor Network in BiH through different activities, BHRT writes.
E.Dz.