Maldives introduces national standards for blood banks and transfusion services

The Maldives Health Ministry has introduced two new protocols on blood storage and transfusion, in a move officials say will strengthen blood transfusion services and boost public confidence in the health system. Speaking at a ceremony at the ministry, State Minister Khadheeja Abdussamad Abdullah launched the “National Standards for Blood Banks and Blood Transfusion Services” and the “National Guideline on Blood Donor Assessment and Selection Procedure.” She described the documents as important benchmark standards that would take the quality of health services in the Maldives to a new level. The move was a key step in strengthening blood transfusion services, ensuring the safety of patients and increasing public trust in the health system, she added. The national standards set out a framework to ensure quality, safety and consistency across all blood banks and blood transfusion service centres operating in the Maldives. The guideline establishes procedures for assessing the health of blood donors and maintaining the highest level of safety for recipients. The National Blood Council acknowledged the support of technical working committees, with special mention of the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Society of Blood Transfusion, the Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service and Thailand’s National Blood Centre.