Blood transfusions are essential to patient care, and often lifesaving. However, challenges exist to achieve adequate supply of safe blood for transfusion. One of the challenges is suboptimal clinical practices that compromise patient safety and make inappropriate use of the already scarce blood products available. Furthermore, many health care systems are over-reliant on use of transfusions, whereas a more holistic approach to patient care should be considered. As a result, patient outcomes are affected, and health care costs increase.
Barriers to appropriate clinical use of blood transfusions include limited training and knowledge in transfusion medicine; lack of awareness and training on patient blood management; absence of national evidence-based guidelines for transfusion; absence of effective transfusion committees in hospitals; poor practices in blood component preparation, storage and handling, including maintenance of the cold chain.
In response to suboptimal clinical practices and other challenges on blood services, in 2020, WHO published the action framework to advance universal access to safe, effective and quality assured blood products 2020-2023, that provides strategic direction to global efforts to address present barriers to safe blood. During 2021-2022, as implementation of this action framework, WHO has developed three guidance documents:
- WHO Policy brief: the urgent need to implement patient blood management;
- WHO Educational modules on clinical use of blood;
- WHO user guide for navigating resources on stepwise implementation of haemovigilance systems.
To introduce those documents, the Health Products Policy and Standards department (HPS) will hold the above mentioned webinar with simultaneous translations. There will be two sessions:
- a morning session from 09:00 to 11:00 CEST: with simultaneous interpretation in English, Chinese and Russian; and
- an afternoon session from 16:00 to 18:00 CEST: with simultaneous interpretation in English, French and Spanish.
This webinar is intended for blood regulatory officials from Ministries of Health, National Regulatory Authorities and Directors of the major blood establishments, but anyone interested is welcomed to attend.
Zoom link
Morning session:
When: 26 July 2022 09:00 CEST
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://who.zoom.us/j/95838269786
Password: Mae#2022
Afternoon session:
When: 26 July 2022 16:00 CEST
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://who.zoom.us/j/95955281848
Password: Pub#2022