Safe Blood For Africa Foundation
Approximately six million blood transfusions are administered to seriously
ill patients in Sub-Saharan Africa each year. The estimated need for life
saving transfusion in sub-Saharan Africa is 18 million units of safe blood
per year.
• WHO estimates 5-10 % of HIV/AIDS
infections in Africa occur from unsafe blood transfusions.
• 25% of maternal deaths are attributed to a lack of blood for transfusion.(WHO,
2007)
• 15% of child mortality in Africa may be due to the lack of an adequate
supply of safe blood for transfusion. (WHO, 2007)
Safe Blood for Africa has:
• Provided assistance to 34 African countries,
• Trained over 6000 health care technicians to provide a safe blood supply
in Africa
• Provided technical assistance and training to National Blood Services
and Hospitals who have delivered millions of Africans safe blood for transfusions.
Safe Blood for AfricaTM Foundation (SBFA) is a 501(c)(3) non profit Foundation which has been established to assist as many African countries as possible to achieve a safe and adequate blood supply. This means blood which is free of diseases transmitted by blood transfusion such as HIV; Hepatitis B and C; malaria, and other infectious agents transmissible through blood transfusion, as well as blood that has been properly blood grouped, processed, stored, and then safely administered to patients after having been checked for compatibility.
Safe Blood for Africa Foundation
provides technical assistance in developing national blood services, and
carries out specialist training for medical, scientific, technical staff,
nursing staff, donor recruitment staff, finance, administration and volunteers
willing to assist in blood donor recruitment. The Foundation has funded
and participated in numerous training and technical assistance programs
in:
• promoting voluntary non-remunerated blood donation from low risk populations,
• providing HIV testing and other appropriate test kits and materials,
• quality management systems,
• testing and blood grouping,
• promotion of appropriate clinical use of blood,
• donor care, donor sensitivity and donor management,
• laboratory procurement and construction management,
• National Policy Development and National Strategic Planning
SBFA has signed a Cooperative
Agreement with the world renowned Centers for Disease Control (U.S. CDC)
Atlanta, U.S.A.; to carry out training in all aspects of blood safety in
Africa. The countries which suffer from the highest burden of HIV infection
globally are located in this region. Countries which receive no financial
assistance for their blood services are prioritized by SBFA to receive as
much assistance as possible in order to provide a safe, accessible and adequate
blood supply to meet national needs.
