Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) committee for blood transfusion announced a new programme that monitors blood transfer procedures in the country. The centralised haemovigilance programme improves the quality of the blood transfusion chain, primarily focusing on safety.

Dr Aisha Ibrahim al-Malki, assistant executive director, Medical Services and chair, Blood Transfusion Committee and Centralised Haemovigilance Programme, described it as a first for Qatar and the Arab region.

"The aim is to improve the blood transfusion system by providing an extra level of safety for donors and recipients. It improves the quality of the blood transfusion chain, primarily focusing on safety.”

A blood transfusion chain is a system for storing and transporting blood and blood products from the point of collection from a blood donor to the point of transfusion to a patient.

The new programme improves the overall quality of the collection, storage, testing and distribution of blood and its components, reporting any complications or errors in blood transfer.

Dr al-Malki said the programme will be initially implemented at HMC and then widely introduced across all healthcare facilities in Qatar that collect, use or store blood and blood components.

Earlier this month, 20 members of HMC’s Quality, Nursing, and Emergency Department, along with staff from the Blood Donor Unit and Blood Transfer Centre attended an education session about the new programme.

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