Posted on: Thu 13-02-2025

A hospital in Germany – the Universitätsmedizin Greifswald (UMG) has partnered with the National Blood Service Agency (NBSA) and the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) to improve blood transfusion safety across the country.

NBSA Head of Media and Publicity, Abdullahi Haruna who disclosed this in Abuja, said that the initiative, titled “Towards Safe Blood in Nigeria,” aims to expand AKTH’s successful transfusion medicine centre to hospitals nationwide.

He observed that Nigerian haematologists have also benefited from specialised training provided by German experts. Haruna noted that the partnership, which began in 2016, has already transformed blood transfusion practices at AKTH by introducing advanced standards in transfusion medicine, quality management, and immune haematological techniques.

He observed that the project addresses challenges affecting blood transfusion in the country, which include insufficient blood supply to meet demand, safety risks due to the transmission of infectious diseases, lack of proper compatibility testing, which can lead to transfusion reaction, as well as operational errors caused by inadequate training and infrastructure.

To address these issues, Haruna said the initiative will establish a national training centre for transfusion medicine at AKTH, which will offer training for blood bank staff in hygiene protocols, donor screening, and compatibility testing, particularly for patients with complex conditions like sickle cell disease (SCD).

According to him, a specialised auditor training programme will enhance NBSA’s capacity to regulate blood banks nationwide. He observed the project aligns with Nigeria’s National Health Policy and the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommendations for improving maternal health, reducing pregnancy-related deaths, and ensuring safer surgical procedures. “With over six million Nigerians living with SCD, a reliable and safe blood supply is critical for their care,” Haruna stated.

SOURCE: GUARDAIN NEWSPAPER

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