KENYA METHODIST UNIVERSITY

MEDICINE AND HEALTH SCIENCES

INSTRUCTOR: MR. WAMBUA
COURSE TITLE: BLOOD TRANSFUSION
COURSE CODE: MLSC 401
REGISTRATION NUMBER: BML-1-6213-3/2021
NAME: LYANNE CHEBET
TASK: ASSIGNMENT
DUE DATE: 6/02/2023
 HAEMOVIGILANCE SYSTEM
1. Define haemovigilance. (3 marks)
Haemovigilance is a set of systemic surveillance
procedures covering the entire blood transfusion chain
from donation, processing of blood and its components,
provision and transfusion to patients together with the
response. It is done with the aim of collecting and
accessing information on undesirable effects resulting
from the use of versatile blood products to prevent its
occurrence and recurrence.

2. What does an efficient haemovigilance system

require (12 marks)
(a) Policy and legislative framework. This framework
should exist in a manner that it supports the
implementation starting from the commencement at
institutional level to a nationally coordinated
haemovigilance system.
(b) Leadership and governance. The ministry of health
should provide effective leadership and governance in
order to improve risk management, increase trust,
promote confidentiality and ensure a vindictive
environment conducive for the system.
(c) Quality system. An effective haemovigilance system
should have written standard procedures to initiate,
investigate and coordinate reports. There should be
appropriate clinical use of blood, effective training of
staff, monitoring and evaluation of the clinical practice to
avoid errors.
(d) Organization and coordination. It should have an
efficient, adequately resourced and sustainable national
system together with stakeholders. Roles and
responsibilities of each should be comprehended and
appropriate coordination put in place.
(e) Human and financial resources. There should be
adequate financial and human resources for the system to
be sustainable. This includes proper staff training,
availability of equipment and also adequate time for the
procedure.
(f) Traceability. The system should ensure the records of
the donor and recipient together with their blood units are
in place allowing their events to be tracked and
investigated. Also, timely monitoring of implementation
of corrective and preventive actions should be adhered to.
3. Explain the roles of haemovigilance in the donation
and provision of blood and blood products (15 marks)
Haemovigilance plays a central role in ensuring the safety
and quality of blood transfusions. Blood donation and
provision of blood products (plasma, platelets,
cryoprecipitate, etc.) are within the haemovigilance
domain because they are reliant on a reliable single source
of information that enables appropriate assessment of
risks.
It contains the events occurring before, during and after
the donation of blood or blood components. This guides
transfusion practice and aids to ensure that blood is
being redrawn and has been requested by an
appropriately identified donor after a period of time.
Errors and near misses recognition. Errors of
haemovigilance emerging from the donor's supply
system must be detected as early as possible to optimize
health care and reduce any potential for transfusion
related complications. Accurate monitoring of donor risk
factors, including a lack thereof, is important in this
regard. Accurate diagnosis based on accurate reports
from vigilance committee can confirm the consistency of
haemovigilance activities and play an important role to
prevent any incidence of transfusion-transmitted
diseases
Significant deviation from protocol. Deviation from
protocol in haemovigilance in donation and provision of
blood causes the exposure of donor components to
donors. It can have serious consequences by causing
direct damage to the health of the recipient or spread
throughout a population due to subsequent
transmissions.
Release of non conforming products. Release of non-
conforming products in haemovigilance in donation and
provision of blood is a serious matter. It has the potential
to have severe consequences for patients, donors and
blood transfusion centres, as it involves risks associated
with the use of these products.
Accounting of adverse reactions with blood products that
came about as a result of the transfusion process.
Haemovigilance is important for the donation and
provision of blood. Adverse reactions can occur in this
system, either by reason of manufacturing, by reason of
processing or by reason of storage. Thus, careful
consideration must be given to the potential risk to the
donor in order to predict problems before they occur.