An International Blood Safety
Workshop on the crucial role of “Developing Voluntary Blood Donor Programs”
was held in Accra, Ghana, October 2 to 13, 2006 for 16 West and Central
African countries. These workshops, organized by Safe Blood for Africa
Foundation’s Multi-Country Training Program, funded by PEPFAR (The
President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) and CDC, were held in
collaboration with the World Health Organization, International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the Ministry of Health of Ghana
and the Ghana National Blood Transfusion Service. The two back-to-back
workshops were held in French and English respectively.
“This program will save lives by increasing the availability of blood,
and reducing the risk of HIV/AIDS and other blood-borne diseases in
transfused blood,” according to Safe Blood for Africa’s Chairman, Jeff
Busch. “We are grateful to PEPFAR/CDC for providing funding for us to
conduct these programs in areas of Africa which have historically received
little support for blood safety initiatives.”
These workshops are “precedent-setting” as they brought together
decision makers, blood service directors and blood donor recruitment staff
from the 16 countries represented. Fifty-seven participants attended, many
of whom have little opportunity for such specific training and to interact
with professionals from other countries.
It is also the first in a series of such programs on key blood safety
skills development being conducted by Safe Blood for Africa Foundation’s
African Multi-Country Training Program.
Diane De Coning, internationally recognized expert in blood donor
recruitment who conducted the workshops, said, “Delegate response was
tremendous. Key donor recruitment staff shared common challenges in
recruiting and retaining adequate numbers of voluntary blood donors. We
identified priorities for the region, including the need for an African
Blood Donor Association and ready access to much needed and requested
generic promotional material for adaptation by local blood transfusion
services. Implementing the strategies developed at these workshops will
have a major impact in meeting the demand for a safe and adequate blood
supply in the participating countries. Additional capacity building and
resources are desperately required, but this was a phenomenal way to
start.”
Safe Blood for Africa Foundation
safebloodforafrica/