Slovenia needs an average of 300 to 350 blood donors per day to provide patients with the necessary volume of blood. Donors constitute an important part of the healthcare system, as they provide patients with suitable treatment by blood.
Blood donation is no doubt one of the noblest forms of altruism. The number of donors places Slovenia within the European average, but, more importantly, makes Slovenia self-sufficient with respect to blood supply. This means that the needs of own healthcare for blood are fully covered.
Slovenia prides itself on well-developed blood donation, a long-standing and successful tradition, a well-built blood donation system, an adequate number of donors, and a high level of readiness among people to donate blood.
Metaphorically speaking, blood supply runs from the donor's vein to the recipient's vein and encompasses three indivisible areas: blood donation; collection, processing and testing; and the clinical use of blood. Based on the areas listed, the work of responsible Slovenian Red Cross providers, including its local branches, is intertwined with the work carried out by the blood transfusion service and users, i.e. treating physicians and patients.
The Slovenian Red Cross is in charge of recruiting and providing an adequate number of donors and is the national organiser of blood drives. The Slovenian Red Cross performs this task through a network of 56 local Red Cross branches throughout Slovenia, carrying out all activities related to organisation, provision of information, motivation as well as recruitment and education of donors for the purposes of the national blood supply.
The blood transfusion service is in charge of collecting, processing, testing and supplying blood and blood products. The blood transfusion service is set with the task of providing an adequate amount of safe and compatible blood, whereby providing blood recipients with the best possible blood treatment.
The Slovenian blood transfusion service comprises the Blood Transfusion Centre of Slovenia (ZTM) with its pertaining Blood Transfusion Centres (Novo mesto, Trbovlje, Slovenj Gradec, Izola, Jesenice and Nova Gorica), the Transfusion Medicine Centre at the Maribor University Medical Centre, including its units in Ptuj and Murska Sobota, and the Blood Transfusion Centre at the Celje General Hospital.
