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ABSTRACT Introduction The novel coronavirus disease has disrupted blood transfusion services worldwide. Despite blood transfusion services taking several precautionary measures to minimize the risks of COVID-19 during blood donations, donors became anxious regarding the risk of the COVID-19 infection during the donation and the blood transfusion services was facing the inevitable hazard of blood shortage. Methods The study was conducted at a tertiary care oncology hospital-based blood transfusion services and included analysis of blood donations, packed red blood cell units requirements, and packed red blood cell inventory in the pre lockdown and lockdown phase. New COVID-19 standard operating procedures with enhanced safety guidelines and donor confidence-building measures were implemented at the blood transfusion services. Results The total number of average monthly blood donations decreased in lockdown but the decrease was not statistically significant (238.5 vs. 197.8, P = 0.391). The requisitions for the packed red blood cell cross-matches (722.5 vs. 329.0, P = 0.001) and the packed red blood cell utilization (176.5 vs. 103.3, P = 0.028) for the hospital patients also decreased significantly due to the lockdown. In the lockdown phase, an expressive number of packed red blood cell units were outdated due to the unprecedented fall in the number of patients. In the post-lockdown phase, the packed red blood cell inventory was optimized with decreased outdating via a comprehensive approach. A special emphasis was given to the in-house donations. A second partial lockdown also decreased the blood donations. Conclusion Confidence-building in blood donors and the resolution of logistical issues were crucial for the efficient packed red blood cell inventory management in the lockdown. Implementation of COVID-19 preventive measures helped in the blood donor and blood transfusion services staff safety.
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Blood Donors , Blood Transfusion , Pandemics , COVID-19 , HematocritABSTRACT
The blood donation, component preparation and manufacturing, laboratory, issuing and quality control were studied and compared between the UK and China, in order to learn British experience in the clinical practice and blood services. The age limits of blood donors, blood collection units, donation times per year, laboratory items, and the types(volumes) of component preparation and manufacturing in the UK are more superior than those in China. In addition, the blood quality monitoring and regarding indicators are more scientific and reasonable in the UK. The full reimbursement of clinical blood expenses for patients has been realized in the UK. The British experience in continuous safeguard of the blood safety and balance of requirement and availability contributes to the constant and scientific development of British blood services over the years, and is worthy of references.
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Background@#Blood is an important resource, both for planned treatments and urgent interventions. It can help patients suffering from life-threatening conditions live longer and with a higher quality of life, and supports complex medical and surgical procedures. According to WHO recommendation at least 1% of the population of any country needs to donate their blood to accommodate the basic clinical needs of the country. Accordingly, we aimed to assess existing attitudes of the general population towards on blood donors. @*Materials and Methods@#The survey identified attitude of the population on blood donation and factors influencing them, using quantitative and qualitative methods. The survey covered a population aged 18-60 years. SPSS software version 21 was used for data analysis of the survey. The survey protocol and methodology were reviewed and approved by the Scientific Committee at the NCPH. The Medical Ethical Committee at the MOH reviewed the survey materials and issued an approval (2015/3). @*Results@#The survey covered in total 3,782 people and there are 59.2% of surveyed respondents said they have never thought of becoming a voluntary blood donor. Positive attitude on blood donation is higher with statistical significance among women (59.0%), 18-25 years old (43.7%) and UB residents citizens with higher education. As education level increases the number of respondents who thought about donating blood is also increases. 16.1% of them had a history of blood donation before and 38.2% said they never thought about it. Twenty point four percent of respondents thought blood donation brings some kind of risk. Nevertheless of the education level of surveyed respondents, the percentage of answer blood donation is not risky for a person was the most common answer. But respondent who is only literal and uneducated were don’t know about whether it has a risk or not (385.37=2א, p=0.000001). Also, respondents failed to donate their blood because the family not allowed, afraid, risk of infection, doesn’t want and had a busy schedule.@*Conclusion@#There is a high tendency to donate blood populations of young people aged 20-29, women, residents of Ulaanbaatar, and uneducated and highly educated. The majority of respondents agreed that blood donating is charity and a good deed. The leading causes of blood donation is the education, gender, the desire of doing a good deed, peer influence and health condition.
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Background: The quality of blood transfusion services (BTS) is essential for the treatment of patients who need blood or blood products. BTS involve several steps, including the acquisition of the donor’s blood, blood grouping, unexpected antibody screening, blood storage, transfusion, etc. There is a need to check the effectiveness of all elements in the BTS can be assessed and monitored by an external quality assessment. Aim: To assess and evaluate the performance of ABO and Rh(D) blood grouping and unexpected antibody screening of the selected World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Region Member country laboratories. Methods: WHO Collaborating Centre on Strengthening Quality of Health Laboratories (Thailand) organized a regional external quality assessment scheme for blood group serology (REQAS-BGS) between 2002 and 2008 for laboratories in countries of the WHO South-East Asia Region. Test items for ABO and Rh(D) blood groupings and unexpected antibody screening and identification were distributed three cycles per year to BTS laboratories in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. By the end of the project, a total of 20 BTS laboratories had participated for differing lengths of time. Results: It was found that 87.5%, 93.3%, 81.3%, 92.3%, 100% and 87.5% of laboratories returned the test results in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008, respectively. Laboratories with excellent quality or a trend of quality improvement for ABO and Rh(D) blood grouping, unexpected antibody screening and identification during the six years were 60% (12/20), 50% (10/20), 52.9% (9/17) and 81.8% (9/11), respectively. At the initiation of the scheme, most laboratories were using substandard methods for ABO and Rh blood groupings, i.e. performing only direct blood grouping alone but subsequently adopted the standard methods, i.e. performing both direct and reverse blood groupings. Conclusion: REQAS-BGS in South-East Asia countries has been useful for assessing, monitoring and improving the quality of testing. Challenges such as high costs and regulatory requirements for international shipment of blood samples could be solved by amending the regulation(s) for shipment, or establishing a national EQAS.