Five year follow -up of a university initiated national voluntary non remunerated blood donation programme in a developing country.

International bodies continue to recommend blood services based on voluntary non remunerated blood donation as an essential prerequisite for blood safety and adequacy. Trinidad and Tobago is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious, high income developing country with a long history of family replacement and remunerated blood donation. Delivery of blood services is fragmented across five autonomous Regional Health Authorities and policy is established by the National Blood Transfusion Service in the Ministry of Health.

A university - Led initiative to promote voluntary non-remunerated blood donation in a developing country.

Objective: To describe the process, challenges and impact of developing a voluntary non-remunerated blood donor programme in a replacement- based blood donation system.

Background: Trinidad and Tobago is a developing country whose blood transfusion service is based on replacement and remunerated donors. The University of the West Indies Blood Donor Foundation was formed to promote voluntary non-remunerated donation through education, research and example.