Health Minister opens South Africa's Transfusion Medicine Training Centre

Issued by the Ministry of Health.

21 February 2010

Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi will on Monday, 22 February officially open the country's Transfusion Medicine Training Centre as part of South Africa's efforts to improve its blood collection and storage capacity.

The collection and safe storage of blood forms an essential component of the country's healthcare services. This becomes even more important as the country gears itself for hosting the FIFA 2010 soccer world cup.

Some of the key deliverables of this new centre funded through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) of the US include:

1. To train blood service nursing staff in donor selection education recruitment and retention to ensure HIV safe blood supply in South Africa,
2. To train medical technologists in the field of Transfusion Medicine for safe blood supply,
3. To train Blood Banking and Transfusion Medicine practitioners in the regulatory framework, risk management, quality assurance, standard operating procedures aspects of transfusion medicine to ensure safety of blood and blood supply, and
4. To facilitate the appropriate use of blood and reduce administrative errors as a cause of serious adverse reactions to blood transfusions by providing training, education and continuous professional development of healthcare professionals in the field of transfusion medicine.

Education and training is fundamental to every aspect of blood safety as well as successful utilisation of blood and blood products in saving lives of children with life threatening anaemia, trauma victims and women with pregnancy related complications.

Members of the media are invited to the official opening and tour of the Centre.

For more information please contact:

Fidel Hadebe on 079 517-3333 or
Justice Mohala (SA National Blood Services) on 082 459-3642.