… Trains 340 Healthcare Workers On Safe Blood Practices
In a bid to enhance safe blood practices and ensure quality blood banking services in health facilities, 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.
In his address at the seven-day event held between March 11 – 14, and March 19 – 21, 2024 at the LCCI Conference and Exhibition Centre in Ikeja, Lagos, the Executive Secretary of the LSBTS, Dr. Bodunrin Osikomaiya said the training focused on various critical aspects of safe blood practices.
According to her, the participants were specifically trained on mobilisation 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 emphasised the importance of the training which is 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.
In her words, “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 the ongoing efforts to uphold its highest standards of patient care and safety”, Osikomaiya stated.
