The Health Ministry said on Tuesday that the suspicion of the first case of organ trade as well as two suspicious kidney transplants at the KBC Zagreb Hospital in 2019 were reported to the State Attorney's Office (DORH) for further action.

The health inspector has made a decision on a temporary ban on kidney transplants from living unrelated donors, the Ministry said in response to a query about the suspicion of organ trade.

Last week, UNA TV released documentation and information that two living unrelated donor kidney transplants were performed at the KBC Zagreb hospital in 2019, which the Ministry of Health assessed as suspicious, and the inspection report was sent to DORH last year. The donors were men from Serbia and Kosovo, in both cases of lower financial status.

The media outlet also reported that the case was being handled by the County State Attorney’s Office and that nothing had been done to date.

The Croatian Association for the Promotion of Patients’ Rights also reacted to the case yesterday, praising the Ministry for reacting swiftly and sending the case to DORH.

“The Medical Chamber also confirmed that medical ethics had been violated. However, there are no sanctions!” the association said.

It also warned that first the KB Merkur Hospital had refused to perform a transplant from a living donor as there was a strong suspicion of organ trade since the recipient had an elite social status and the donor had a low social status.

In the press release, the association wondered how it was possible that the KBC Rebro Hospital had approved that same case.

In response to the accusations, the KBC Zagreb Hospital issued a press release saying that all transplants were performed with an approval by the KBC Zagreb ethics committee, following an assessment of the participants.

All activities and procedures are identical to those carried out at all other transplant centres in Croatia where living unrelated donor kidney transplants were performed, the KBC Zagreb Hospital said.