|
 The safety of the blood supply depends on the
quality of the processes used in its processing,
including screening for disease markers. However,
lack of financial resources, weak enforcement of
regulations and oversight, and lack of training
create risks for the transmission of diseases
through blood transfusions. At present, our
Center for Infectious Disease Research in Ecuador serves as the organizing
center for the “External Performance Evaluation
Program in serological screening” for the blood
banks of Ecuador. This program was initiated in 2003
and is actively catalyzing the implementation of
better procedures and training within the blood
services in Ecuador. These efforts aim to determine
the effectiveness of the blood screening procedures
in the country and recommend interventions to
improve the safety of the blood supply.
List of
External Evaluation rounds conducted
and participating blood banks from 2003
until 2006
|
Round |
MP-101 |
MP-102 |
MP-103 |
MP-104 |
MP-105 |
MP-106 |
MP-107 |
|
Dates |
June 2003 |
Jan 2004 |
Sept
2004 |
Dec
2004 |
Aug
2005 |
Dec
2005 |
June
2006 |
|
N° of participants |
15 |
19 |
23 |
22 |
18 |
18 |
17 |
|
 In
addition, in March 2006, we initiated the
"Internal Serological Control Program." This
program allows for daily or weekly oversight of the
results obtained by all blood banks in the country
in every "run" of blood screening. This is
accomplished by the inclusion in each plate or batch
of testing of a sample characterized sera. The same
sera is distributed to all laboratories and analysis
of the daily results allows to detect systemic or
random errors.
A technical support
hotline was setup at the Center for Infectious
Disease Research in Quito to provide assistance to
the technicians. Since its inception in May 2006
1800 minutes of phone technical assistance have been
logged.
 The
CIDR organizes periodic training for blood bank
technicians and certificates of satisfactory
completion. The training consists of three full days
of practical and theoretical training in blood
screening techniques, standard operation procedures,
quality control, plate validation and reporting.
Trainees need to obtain 85% in both practical and
theoretical evaluations to be certified. To date 60
technicians have attended the training. The initial
certification is now required for employment at a
blood screening laboratory. A one day refresher
course is offered annually to those that have
obtained the initial certification.
Partners:
Ecuadorian Red Cross, Catholic University of Ecuador
and Ohio University
Funding: Bloods
Banks of Ecuador, Ecuadorian Red Cross, Ohio
University, Pan American health Organization
|
