Transfusion medicine

No blood transfusions have been linked to HIV infections since more sophisticated testing started more than two years ago, says the South African National Blood Service.

Hospitals have been asked to cut back on surgery because of a severe blood shortage, the South African National Blood Services (SANBS) said on Thursday.

Botswana Project Encourages Young People To Donate 'Safe Blood,' Stay HIV-Free

Exam time has yet again left the province facing a shortage of blood stocks. South African National Blood Services (SANBS) was warned that KwaZulu-Natal only had enough stock to last two days.

The SA National Blood Service (SANBS) is finalizing a new risk management system for blood donors, its head has insisted.

A new risk determining model for blood donors is to be implemented with immediate effect

South Africa has become the first country in the world to approve a solution that can be used in place of blood in transfusions, a healthcare company announced Tuesday. The solution, Hemopure, acts like red blood cells, carrying oxygen to the body's tissues. South Africa's Medicines Control Council approved it Monday afternoon to treat acute anaemia in surgery patients, said Netcare, which is licensed to distribute the product. The blood substitute can be used with patients of any blood type and would eliminate the risk of catching infectious diseases - including HIV - from tainted blood transfusions, the release said. Donor blood must be refrigerated and can only be stored for 42 days, while Hemopure can be stored at room temperature and last for two years. Side effects include slightly increased risk of stomach pain, weakness, hypertension, jaundice and nausea. The blood substitute was developed by Biopure, a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Mass. It is licensed in South Africa to Tshepo Pharmaceuticals, which is jointly owned by Netcare and Community Healthcare, a holding company with several healthcare-related investments. (Source: SAPA-AP, 10 April 2001)

South Africa's seven independent blood transfusion services have agreed to a proposal that it would be in the best interests of the country to operate as a single National Blood Transfusion Service. The integration of the new service will be effective from this month, and fall under the banner of the South African National Blood Service. This month is National Blood Donor Month, with the theme Safe blood starts with me. The campaign will focus on ensuring the safety of South Africa's blood supply, and be marked by the wearing of blue ribbons. (Source: The Citizen, 4 April 2001)

On Monday, Eastern Cape MEC Dr Bevan Goqwana announced that at least R20-million of the Eastern Cape health department's R100-million top-up funding would go directly to its creditors. Most of the remaining R80-million would be earmarked for core functions, especially in those areas where shortfalls are anticipated. Goqwana, meanwhile, reiterated earlier comments that the department was beset by a plague of corruption. Corruption already uncovered ranged from the misuse of government property to tampering with the department's computer system. The department earlier announced it had recovered an amount of R97 000 from senior officials at Umtata General Hospital in fraudulent salary payments.

The FDA Blood Products Advisory Committee this week will consider lifting the ban preventing gay men from donating blood.