ApproAches to AdvAncing Blood sAfety through hAemovigilAnce: A revieW

Abstract

Background: Blood transfusion is always associated with some level of risk.
haemovigilance is a risk monitoring system integral to the practice of transfusion
medicine whose ultimate purpose is to improve the quality and safety of transfusion
therapy.
Objective: to examine the contribution of haemovigilance to blood safety, including
the approaches that some countries have taken to institute haemovigilance, and explore
routes through which countries without such systems can achieve them.
Data sources: the internet and journals on the topic of haemovigilance and development
of haemovigilance systems in the english language.
Data selection: reputable journals on the topic of haemovigilance were examined for
abstracts and papers. Abstracts based on known credible and distinguished sources
were selected.
Data extraction: information on haemovigilance and the processes of developing
haemovigilance in various countries was reviewed.
Data synthesis: the information from selected papers and abstracts was used for
writing this paper.
Conclusion: varying processes for haemovigilance have been adopted by different
countries. the more advanced systems have national/regional co ordinating mechanisms.
Availability of haemovigilance data has given transfusion services a clear understanding
of problems associated with transfusion that need to be solved so as to improve
transfusion safety. Although countries in sub-saharan Africa have made considerable
progress in enhancing blood safety in the recent past, nationally coordinated
haemovigilance systems are lacking. focus on haemovigilance systems is considered
the next frontier to be conquered in enhancing blood safety in the region.