In a bid to enhance safe blood practices and ensure quality blood banking services in health facilities in Lagos, the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service (LSBTS) recently concluded a comprehensive training exercise on safe blood practices for 340 healthcare workers, including medical doctors and laboratory scientists drawn from both public and private health facilities.
Held from March 11th to 14th and March 19th to 21st at the LCCI Conference and Exhibition Center in Ikeja, Lagos, the seven-day event focused on various critical aspects of safe blood practices.
According to the Executive Secretary of the LSBTS, Dr. Bodunrin Osikomaiya, the participants were trained on mobilization and conversion of blood donors, appropriate clinical use of blood and products, haemovigilance, and the role of laboratories in ensuring blood safety.
“With 200 medical doctors from Surgery, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Paediatrics, and Emergency departments, alongside 140 medical laboratory scientists from private blood banks, the training aimed to equip healthcare providers with the necessary skills and knowledge to improve service delivery”, she explained.
Dr. Osikomaiya emphasized the importance of this training in line with international best standards and highlighted its role as a major activity evaluated during regulatory visits by the state Blood Monitoring and Enforcement sub-committee.
“The LSBTS, established to ensure the safety of blood from collection to transfusion, remains dedicated to recruiting and retaining voluntary blood donors, screening all donated blood for transfusion-transmissible infections, and promoting efficient blood processing.
“This successful training underscores the LSBTS’s commitment to providing safe and quality blood banking services to meet the needs of the community. It serves as a testament to their ongoing efforts to uphold the highest standards of patient care and safety”, Osikomaiya stated.
