Regional Blood Safety Initiative
Blood is needed every day
It is a lifeline for:
- Patients needing surgery;
- Victims of accidents or violence;
- Mothers & infants experiencing complications during childbirth;
- Countless other patients.
Fact: One of every five people in the world will need donated blood at least once in his/her lifetime.
Yet, in Latin America and the Caribbean, thousands of people have been infected with blood-borne diseases as a result of blood transfusions.
- Hepatitis C
- Hepatitis B
- HIV
- Chagas disease
- Syphilis
A PAHEF grant helped launch this initiative to:
- Increase and improve screening of blood for disease.
- Attract more voluntary blood donors, who are less likely to be infected than paid or replacement donors.
The PAHO/WHO Regional Blood Safety Initiative is already making a difference:
- Use of screened blood units reduced:
- 87% reduction for HIV
- 82% reduction for hepatitis B
- 92% reduction for hepatitis C
- Goal of 50% voluntary blood donors exceeded in six countries
- Percentage of high-risk paid blood donors significantly decreased overall
Safe Blood Saves Lives !
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