After the Human Rights House Banja Luka (Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Banja Luka, AC “Hi Neighbour”, Banja Luka Center for Human Rights, Center for Environment, Transparency International BiH), Foundation United Women, AC “M’UDAR” and the Organization of Amputees UDAS of the Republic of Srpska, on November 6, 2023, submitted the Initiative to establish a stem cell donor registry, today we received an official response from the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Republic of Srpska that a number of activities have been undertaken to implement it.
“The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia sent a Letter of Intent for technical assistance in establishing the Registry, which would open up the possibility that donors from the Republic of Srpska could become part of the Registry of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Donors of Serbia, and all after expanding cooperation in the field of stem cell transplantation by concluding adequate agreements. They would more closely regulate the way of acting during the implementation of the necessary diagnostic procedures, which include the preparation of donors for donating stem cells in accordance with the procedures of the Registry and the standards of the World Association of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Donors (WMDA), as well as the manner in which the costs of HLA typing of donors would be regulated when joining the Register of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Donors of Serbia”, it was stated in the reply of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Republic of Srpska.
Also, the answer states that the JZU Institute of Transfusion Medicine will continue to work on the development of capacities and resources, both spatial and personnel, for the establishment of the Laboratory for HLA tissue typing, as well as the Register of voluntary bone marrow donors.
“Having seen that there is no stem cell donor registry in the Republic of Srpska, and encouraged by the cases of our fellow citizens Danijela and Katarina, who are waiting for a bone marrow transplant from related donors, we submitted to the Initiative to establish a donor registry in the Republic of Srpska, and if possible in the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina or to consider other possibilities that would ensure that persons suffering from malignant blood diseases receive appropriate treatment and cure”, it was stated in the Initiative, which was submitted on November 6.
We remind you that the right to life is one of the basic human rights.
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