Health products policy and standards
Our team provides authoritative guidance and standards on quality, safety and efficacy of health products and supports countries to formulate evidence-based policies and ensure good practice throughout the value chain.

Haemovigilance

Effective system are needed to facilitate monitoring and evaluation of the blood system, including donor safety, blood product quality and safety, and transfusion safety. The existence of a data collection and reporting system, including an effective haemovigilance system, is an important element of a well-managed, nationally coordinated blood transfusion program. 

The establishment of a national haemovigilance system enables continuous quality improvement of the transfusion chain through corrective and preventive actions to improve patient safety and outcomes, enhance donor safety and reduce wastage. WHO recommends that haemovigilance should be incorporated into national blood and health policies and systems.

Publications

User guide for navigating resources on stepwise implementation of haemovigilance systems

WHO recognizes the importance of haemovigilance, systematic blood safety surveillance, to identify and prevent occurrence or recurrence of transfusion-related...

A guide to establishing a national haemovigilance system

The goal of haemovigilance is continuous quality improvement of the transfusion chain through corrective and preventive actions to improve donor and patient safety,...

Aide-mémoire for ministries of health: national haemovigilance system

Haemovigilance is a set of surveillance procedures covering the entire transfusion chain, from the donation and processing of blood and its components,...