Serbia faces blood shortage: reserves at minimum, donations falling

Serbia’s blood reserves have fallen to minimum levels while the number of donors keeps dropping, prompting an urgent appeal from the Blood Transfusion Institute for citizens to donate.

According to the Institute, current reserves are sufficient for only a few days of regular hospital needs, and the situation becomes critical during the summer months and holidays, when donations traditionally decline.

Health authorities warn that certain blood groups are in particularly short supply and have called on healthy adults between 18 and 65 to respond to the appeal.

“Every donation can save up to three lives,” the Institute said in a statement, urging citizens to visit the nearest transfusion center.

Experts note that Serbia has long struggled with a low culture of voluntary blood donation compared to European averages, with most donations coming from family replacement donors rather than regular voluntary donors.

Source: 24-ore.com