Blood Transfusion Safety, Essential Health Technologies

Representative: Dr. Neelam Dhingra

The mission of the WHO Blood Transfusion Safety (BTS) Programme is to enable Member States to ensure provision of universal and equitable access to safe, quality and efficacious blood and blood products for transfusion in medicine, obstetrics, paediatrics, surgery and anaesthesiology, trauma and burns, as part of "Access to quality health care for all" and also to ensure appropriate, effective and safe use of blood and blood products for transfusion. 

ISBT has been admitted into official relations with WHO in 1955 as non-governmental organization.

BTS supports WHO Member States through policy advice and technical guidance, advocacy, mentoring, technical support, technology transfer, capacity building, twinning, networking and facilitation of bilateral and multilateral funds, to:

  • Raise international awareness on the issues of blood safety and availability, encourage harmonization, collaboration and cooperation of global efforts to ensure blood and blood product safety;
  • Develop/strengthen efficient and sustainable national blood programmes with appropriate government commitment and support, national blood policies, plans, legislative and regulatory frameworks, integrated within the health care system;
  • Advocate and support the development of nationally coordinated blood transfusion services based on voluntary non-remunerated blood donation, screening of all donated blood, the appropriate use of blood, and good manufacturing practices at all stages of blood collection, testing, storage and distribution;
  • Develop norms, standards, strategies, guidelines, tools and materials on policy, planning, legal instruments, technical and sufficiency issues, also relating to the entire blood transfusion process from donor to patient to ensure blood and blood products safety;
  • Encourage training for all blood programme staff and the prescribers of blood and blood products to ensure their appropriate use, and also build capacity, through training and mentoring in countries, specifically in the:
    • establishment of cost-effective sustainable nationally coordinated blood services;
    • leadership and management of blood supply systems;
    • financial management systems;
    • risk assessment and management;
    • data and quality management systems: external quality assessment schemes;
    • voluntary non-remunerated blood donation;
    • testing of donated blood for transfusion-transmissible infections and blood group serology;
    • blood components production;
    • blood cold chain;
    • haemovigilance;
    • education and training in blood transfusion;
    • regulation of blood centres and hospital transfusion services;
    • and safe and rational use of blood in medicine, obstetrics, paediatrics, surgery and anaesthesiology, trauma and burns and other disciplines.
  • Provide scientific and evidence-based guidance on safety, quality, availability and use of blood and blood products;
  • Establish a global monitoring mechanism on safe blood and blood products and collect, analyse and disseminate reliable information on blood safety and availability;
  • Provide support in achievement of organizational strategic objectives and implementation of WHA resolutions, in particular on blood safety, blood products, HIV prevention, and maternal and child health;
  • Promote and implement appropriate operational research and development in the provision and appropriate use of safe blood and blood products.

 

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