[Blood donation in Serbia, levels achieved, requirements and possibilities]

Blood donation in Socialist Republic of Serbia can be divided into several developing stages which to a certain degree reflect the development and capabilities of blood transfusion service ensuring medical care in this particular domain. Blood donation is voluntary, anonymous and nonremunerated, an expression of the deepest feeling of humanity and interpersonal solidarity. It tends to constant rise and massive participation. Progressive increase in blood donation which ranges between 5 and 10% annually cannot, however, ensure enough blood for an increasingly wide application of component therapy and blood products. Discrepancy between collected and required quantities of blood is evident and it will be overcome when number of donations is increased from present 2,65/100 inhabitants to 5 donations. Consumption of blood per patient varies in different regions. Modern hemotherapy treatment requires well organized and socially directed activities in recruitment of blood donors as a permanent task of blood transfusion service, Red Cross and all other social and political organizations and medical services.