Minister Bošnjak Meets with Eurotransplant Leadership: The Development of the Transplantation System in Bosnia and Herzegovina Needs to Be Accelerated"

The Minister of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dubravka Bošnjak, held a meeting today in Sarajevo with a delegation from Eurotransplant, the leading European organization for the coordination and exchange of donated organs for transplantation in Europe. The delegation was led by Professor Dirk van Raemdonck, Chairman of the Eurotransplant Supervisory Board, and Dr. André Matera, Chief Executive Officer.

This marks the second official visit of senior Eurotransplant representatives to Bosnia and Herzegovina, confirming the continuity of cooperation and the shared commitment to further developing the country’s transplantation system.

Minister Bošnjak emphasized that the development of transplantation medicine is one of the key issues within Bosnia and Herzegovina’s healthcare system, as it directly reflects the system’s ability to save lives and improve patients’ quality of life. Progress depends primarily on strengthening domestic capacities, which requires more active engagement by the competent health ministries, reinforcement of existing transplantation programmes, improved coordination among healthcare institutions, and continuous education of medical professionals as prerequisites for the further development of transplantation medicine in the country.

During the meeting, it was confirmed that the Training and Education Agreement (TTA), which Eurotransplant submitted to Bosnia and Herzegovina in November last year, represents an important transitional mechanism for strengthening the professional capacities of transplantation centres in Bosnia and Herzegovina through training, exchange of experience, and adoption of European standards. The agreement also provides an opportunity to connect transplantation centres from Bosnia and Herzegovina with Eurotransplant while simultaneously meeting the prerequisites for future full membership.

One of the topics discussed was the European regulatory framework governing Substances of Human Origin (SoHO), which establishes new standards for quality, safety, and oversight in this field. The participants agreed that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s activities in transplantation medicine should be viewed within the broader context of aligning with the modern European approach to SoHO system governance and developing sustainable models of voluntary organ donation.

Minister Bošnjak thanked the leadership of Eurotransplant for its continuous support and partnership approach towards Bosnia and Herzegovina. Eurotransplant representatives welcomed the engagement of the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina in initiating this process, maintaining institutional dialogue, and connecting the relevant healthcare institutions across the country.

The meeting in Sarajevo marked the beginning of the Eurotransplant delegation’s working visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, taking place from 16 to 19 June, during which further steps aimed at strengthening the transplantation system, advancing organ donation, and aligning with European standards in transplantation medicine will be considered.

During their visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Eurotransplant delegation will visit the University Clinical Hospital Mostar today and the University Clinical Centre Tuzla tomorrow, where they will become acquainted with existing transplantation capacities and hold expert meetings and lectures for medical staff.