Nigeria

With this stark pronouncement, Professor Saleh Yuguda, MBBS, FMCPath, the Director-General of the National Blood Service Agency (NBSA) opened his presentation at the joint workshop on Quality Management Strategies in the Era of Emerging Technologies in Abuja, Nigeria on November 12 and 13. The event was hosted by the Association for Diagnostics and Laboratory Medicine (ADLM), the Association of Clinical Chemists of Nigeria (ACCN) and the Academy of Medical Sciences of Nigeria.

Nearly two decades later, the challenges remain largely unresolved.

Undeterred, Yuguda is undertaking concerted efforts to expand and strengthen blood supply and safety nationwide. Through a range of strategic initiatives, including increasing blood donation campaigns focusing on voluntary donations, expanding blood collection and screening centers, deploying hemovigilance systems across all blood centers, and rolling out national blood management software and training programs, Yuguda aims to increase blood supply by 40% and reduce transfusion transmitted infections by 20% by the year 2030.

At the same time, he would have the chance to hear from his colleagues in Nigeria and ADLM’s experts on quality management, POCT, blood banking and AI for lab usage—the team he needed to face his challenges.

Lopez-Plaza, an expert in blood banking, delivered two significant presentations: “Quality Management Practices in the Blood Bank” and “Blood Banking: Donors, Testing, Component Manufacturing.” Both offered insight into international standards for blood banking, and Lopez-Plaza’s personal experience in the field that could be integrated into the solutions Yuguda was looking for.

Lopez-Plaza peppered the staff with questions about their processes and handling of issues. The team shared their practice and absorbed those she offered. The discussion was candid, practical and collaborative, and embodied the essence of GLQI: the exchange of ideas and mutual support.