Croatia is the the number one country in the world in liver transplants (per million residents) and fourth for kidney and heart transplants. Croatian patients have the shortest waiting list in the European Union for organ transplants and waiting lists have been reduced by 37% over the past five years.
Waiting lists for heart transplants are 70 days, lung transplant patients wait around 16 days and kidney transplants on average are conducted within 2 years, Health Minister Sinisa Varga said.
In 2014, 144 people donated organs which gave 354 people a "new life." Of the 361 organs transplanted in 2014, 197 were kidneys, 125 livers, 34 hearts and 5 pancreases.
There are 93 kidney patients, 23 heart patients and 63 liver patients currently in Croatia waiting for an organ transplant. Another six patients are waiting for a combined kidney-pancreas transplant.
The European Day for Organ Donation and Transplantation is a Council of Europe initiative aimed at helping a different member state each year to encourage debate and provide information on organ donation and transplantation. This year Portugal will host the 17th edition of this event.