Quality of care: Ensuring patient safety in blood transfusion in Irrua, Edo State Nigeria

Abstract

Blood transfusion can be very beneficial and life saving to patients; though it carries with it the risk of Transfusion Transmissible Infections [TTIs] likes the Human Immuno deficiency Virus [HIV], Hepatitis B Virus [HBV], Hepatitis C Virus [HCV] and Syphilis. Unfortunately, many hospitals in Nigeria are unable to undertake adequate donor-blood screening for TTIs using the ELISA Technique, owing to lack of facilities, manpower and/or funding. As our center partners with the National Blood Transfusion Service [NBTS] for screening with ELISA, we set out to determine the prevalence of the TTIs among blood donors in order to underscore the desirability of optimal screening of blood and partnering with the NBTS to improve blood safety. Donor blood units were sent to the NBTS for rescreening with ELISA technique, after we had screened for the TTIs using rapid kits. We then reviewed the results of 613 donors over two years to determine the prevalence of TTIs among donors. Overall results showed that 86 (13.6%) was reactive for one or two of the TTIs: HIV 23(3.6%); HBV 41 (6.5%); HCV 17 (2.7%) and Syphilis 5(0.8%). Our findings suggest that screening donor blood with rapid kits only is froth with dangers to the patient; hence hospitals lacking the capacity to screen with ELISA should partner with the NBTS.

Keywords: Blood Safety, ELISA Screening, Rapid Kit Screening, TTIs, NBTS