Hospital director Mario Starešinić expressed gratitude to donors and their families.
He stressed that transplantation is a multidisciplinary and team effort, and that without the significant support and mentorship of the KBC Zagreb Hospital, the programme could not have been launched. "As 20 years ago, so today, we operate as an integrated team -- staff from KBC Zagreb, KB Dubrava, and other hospitals, especially transplant coordinators, enable these world-recognised results through their work and dedication," Starešinić said.
He thanked the government and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, noting that through the Solidarity Fund and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, substantial financial resources were provided. Today, KB Merkur is on a par with all European transplant centres, not only for its professional and scientific standards but also for the quality of healthcare, facilities and equipment, Starešinić said.
Bubaš, as the Prime Minister's envoy and on behalf of Health Minister Irena Hrstić, thanked everyone who advanced the programme, especially organ donors and their families. She highlighted that the impressive results place Croatia among the top Eurotransplant countries.
Bubaš noted that Croatia is now recognised as one of the leading European countries in transplant medicine and emphasised that this status was achieved through years of systematic work, clear procedures, dedicated teams, and citizens' trust in the healthcare system.
The head of the Nephrology Department at KB Merkur, Mario Laganović, pointed out that the independent kidney transplant programme, as a single-organ programme, began in 2005, making KB Merkur the third kidney transplant centre in Croatia. Today, it is "an indispensable and strong pillar of the national transplant programme," he said.
The head of the kidney transplant team at KB Merkur, Mario Sučić, highlighted that 1,023 kidney transplants have been performed at the hospital to date. The oldest patient received a kidney transplant in 2018 at the age of 78, and the oldest living patient with a kidney transplant, performed that same year, is now 83. This year, 57 transplants have been performed, with the oldest patient aged 75.