The Croatian Institute for Transfusion Medicine warns that supplies of blood types O+, O-, and B- are particularly low and urges citizens to take time for a humane gesture despite the summer.
The situation with blood supplies in Croatia has further deteriorated. Just a day after the Croatian Red Cross issued an appeal to citizens for voluntary donation, the Croatian Institute for Transfusion Medicine (HZTM) announced on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, that as many as three blood types are at a critical minimum.
"Supplies of blood types O+, O-, and B- are reduced. We ask donors to take a little time despite summer commitments and come to donate blood. If you have never donated blood before, perhaps now is the right time to take that step," HZTM stated on its Facebook page.
Citizens can donate blood at drives organized by city Red Cross societies across the country, as well as at transfusion centers in Osijek, Rijeka, Zadar, Split, and Dubrovnik. The central location is the Croatian Institute for Transfusion Medicine at Petrova 3 in Zagreb, which is open every working day from 7:30 AM to 7:00 PM, and on Saturdays from 7:30 AM to 3:00 PM.
HZTM reminds donors of the basic recommendations before donating: eat a light meal and consume enough non-alcoholic fluids. You must bring your ID card or passport and health insurance card. If you have a blood donor card, bring it as well to record the new donation.
According to the rules, men can donate blood every three months, while for women the interval is slightly longer at four months. "Thank you for your humanity," HZTM concluded in their post.
Recall that the Croatian Red Cross issued its call for blood donation a day earlier, on Monday, August 10, already warning of reduced supplies, especially of types O+ and O-. The situation has since become more complicated, and the list of critically deficient types has been expanded.
