[REVISION HISTORY]

Blood shortages and donor drives persist across Balkans/EU

Updated 4 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-08-13 11:43 UTC → 2026-08-14 18:03 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Blood donor shortages and supply concerns remain a persistent issue across Europe and the Balkans, exacerbated by summer heat and tourism. In the Balkans, Serbia’s Institute for Transfusion of Blood has warned of critical minimums, particularly for A-positive, O-positive, and all negative groups. Regional efforts to combat these shortages include a large-scale voluntary drive in Čačak, Serbia, held during the Guča Trumpet Festival. This event, organized by the FRA Voluntary Blood Donors Association and the Red Cross, drew participants from across Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Natasha Cvijović, secretary of the Red Cross Čačak, noted that such solidarity ensures medical support is available even across different regions or neighboring countries. In Croatia, the Croatian Institute of Transfusion Medicine has reported decreased stocks for blood groups O+, O-, and B-, prompting local organizations like the Red Cross in Vinkovci to organize replenishment drives. ~~Similar summer-driven shortages are affecting the~~ The Czech ~~Republic;~~ Republic is facing an escalating crisis. While the Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion in Prague ~~issued an urgent appeal as~~ previously reported that stocks for groups A and O dropped to approximately ten percent of required ~~levels. Officials attribute these declines to summer vacations, which can cause donor participation~~ levels, the Czech Ministry of Health has now issued an urgent appeal to ~~drop~~ both regular and new donors. Health Minister Adam Vojtěch stated the shortage is driven by ~~half.~~ a seasonal decrease in donors due to vacations, occurring alongside increased demand from summer accidents, surgeries, and births. Beyond general supplies, the Institute of Clinical and Experimental Medicine (IKEM) in Prague is reporting a severe shortage of blood platelets across all blood groups. Critical levels have been noted at major facilities, including the University Hospital in Ostrava. Other regional concerns include rising demand in Bulgaria's Plovdiv and localized drives in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Across Europe, initiatives such as Romania’s Fidelis state bond program and various awareness campaigns in Italy, Greece, and Poland continue to address the ongoing challenge of maintaining stable blood supplies.

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