Issued by Department of Health
15 February 2005
The Minister of Health, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang held a meeting with the management of the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) in Cape Town today. The meeting was convened to allow the SANBS and the Expert Committee to report to the Minister about work done in developing a revised risk model for blood donation that excludes race as a risk factor.
The Meeting agreed that all blood donors who meet the necessary health criteria are accepted as donors. All donations will be screened for transmissible diseases and processed for blood transfusion service.
The right of patients to have access to safe blood was the underpinning principle in developing the new risk model for blood donations.
The most significant threat to the safety of blood is posed by the window period during which currently available laboratory tests cannot detect the presence of viruses (for example HIV and hepatitis) in the blood. The new risk model aims to further minimize the risk currently posed by the window period.
The new model is based on using the donor status as the primary risk indicator. This is based on the fact that repeat donors are the low risk donors.
In the new model, the first time donor will donate mainly for the purpose of screening for transmissible diseases. The plasma will be quarantined and only issued after the donor has donated for second time and is shown to be free of infectious diseases.
After donor has donated more than three times, it is accepted that the risk due to the window period has been significantly reduced and the red cells can be used for treatment. - this group of donors are regarded as low risk.
Those who have donated more than seven units of blood in the previous 24 months are regarded as VERY low risk and their donations can be used for all types of treatment.
Blood from all the three risk groups will continue to be stringently tested every time the individual donates and donors are encouraged to avoid risky behavior.
A Nucleic Acid Technology (NAT) screening of all donations will be introduced. This technology reduced the current window period in the transfusion service.
The new model together with NAT screening will therefore further reduce the risk of transmissible infections through transfusion service.
Both parties agreed that there is a need to implement a rigorous programme focused on donor recruitment and retention. The programme should support donors and promote a culture of social responsibility by encouraging a consistent blood donation. The programme should also focus on encouraging healthy lifestyles, including safe sex practices.
The meeting agreed that there should an active communication campaign to explain the new model to all stakeholders including hospitals, doctors, current donor base and the general public.
The process of implementing the new model begins immediately. However, in view of the fact that the IT systems and other infrastructural changes need to be made, it was agreed that all systems relating to the new model need to have been in place within the next six months. Everything will be done to ensure immediate implementation of the new model including the use of manual methods of data collection and regular progress reporting by the SANBS.
Contact Sibani Mngadi 0827720161