Lagos State has strengthened its blood safety system as 2,500 public and private blood bank personnel completed a two-day hands-on training on standardized testing, transfusion accuracy, and infection prevention.
The training, held at the MRC Laboratory, LASUTH, Ikeja, was organised by the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service (LSBTS).
A statement by the Executive Secretary of LSBTS, Dr. Bodunrin Osikomaiya, said the programme aims to close quality gaps and align facilities with national and international safety standards.
According to the statement, she warned that bacterial contamination remains a major cause of transfusion-related deaths and urged strict adherence to sterile procedures and proper disinfection.
Osikomaiya added that the skills gained will support facilities as they prepare for the 2026 External Quality Assurance (EQA) Assessment.
Regular LSBTS monitoring will ensure that facilities implement the new protocols.
Consultant medical microbiologist, Dr. Bamidele Mutiu, highlighted the risks of transfusion-transmitted bacterial infections, noting that over 72 infectious agents can be spread through blood.
He said platelets are at the highest risk of contamination and stressed the need for strong donor screening and aseptic techniques.
Head of Monitoring and Enforcement at LSBTS, Dr. Samuel Alori, said strengthened inspections and digital tools such as HaemoCentral have helped reduce illegal blood banking.
Head of Blood Bank and Component Production, Mrs. Rasheedat Mecca, also trained participants on standard operating procedures for safe collection, storage, and documentation.
Participants described the training as impactful and said they would revise their internal processes to improve safety.
The workshop included practical demonstrations on tube grouping, crossmatching, skin disinfection, and contamination prevention.