The National Blood Service Commission (NBSC) says over 90 per cent of health facilities in Nigeria were still practising “sharp” and unsafe blood transfusion practices, exposing people to HIV, hepatitis, syphilis and others.

Director-General of the commission, Omale, Amedu said such practices can no longer be tolerated.

On Wednesday, Mr Amedu, at a news briefing in Abuja handed down a 30-days ultimatum for which all health facilities involved in blood services must register or face sanctions.

“We cannot continue to allow people to transfuse infected and or expired blood to our people. No blood shall be transfused anywhere in Nigeria without the NBSC seal of accreditation.

“Anyone receiving blood or blood product transfusion in any Nigeria health facility must ask to see the NBSC seal and without it, do not accept because it is not safe,” he said.

Failure to register, Mr Amedu said, would prompt the commission to sanction erring organisations “as provided by the NHAct 2014 and NBSC Act 2021.” 

Mr Amedu noted that rigorous processes were ongoing to provide safe and quality blood and blood products in terms of donor selection, technical aspects of the collection, storage, appropriate testing technology, cold-chain system, distribution and client protection, and disposal of waste products. 

(NAN)