Auto texts patients of blood availability
Tanzania National Blood Transfusion Services (NBTS)
The system will among other things keep the data base of donors and automatically send a text message to those eligible for next donation.
BECS was launched by the first lady Mama Salma Kikwete in Kigoma last week at the climax of World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) which was hosted by Kigoma Region.
According to NBTS Information Combination and Technology (ICT) officer George Mpopo, the system will help eliminate human errors in blood transfusion services and hence improve the efficiency of blood transfusions.
Speaking to the Guardian recently at the Evidence for Action Offices (E4A) in Dar es Salaam, Mpopo said, the system which now replaces the old manual system will help NBTS manage blood donor information, collection, testing, processing, and storage, distribution of blood to hospitals and transfusion of the collected blood.
“BECS will be able to track blood from the vein of the donor to the vein of the recipient,” Mpopo said pointing out that, “…that is why it is also referred to as the vein to vein system.”
He said besides recalling donors for the next donation, BECS will also help NBTS identify safe blood donor pools, to be invited for next donation.
“The system is also capable of rejecting unsafe blood donors,” he said.
“BECS will create a data base of people donating blood and their blood status, so if someone is found to have transfusion transmissible infections their blood will automatically be red flagged,” he detailed.
In the past, before BECS system, NBTS relied on manual paper work in record keeping of the donor, analysis, storage and distribution of blood and blood products but now the system will also help NBTS counselors educate those found with HIV or Hepatitis B and C negative.
“Improving awareness of risk behaviours among blood donors will help reduce the number of new infections among the would be and current blood donors,” Mpopo said.
E4A country director craig John Ferla lauded NBTS for launching BECS saying blood safety is paramount importance given growing concerns of blood safety with respect to transfusion transmissible infections like HIV, hepatitis B and C and syphilis.
“What is also good is that with BECS in place NBTS now can recall only those with safe blood for a next donation when they are due, and hence save resources and ensure that the blood collected isn’t thrown due to transfusion of transmissible infections,” Craig said.
Notably, the establishment of BECS by NBTS Tanzania has been facilitated by funding support from Association of American Blood Bank (AABB).
SOURCE:
THE GUARDIAN
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