Availability and safety of blood transfusion during humanitarian emergencies.

Background: Availability and safety of blood transfusion is a major concern in countries affected by humanitarian emergencies. These emergencies increase demand for blood transfusion and make its delivery challenging and complex. Nevertheless, there is a lack of information on emergency preparedness and response capacity of blood transfusion services and on the challenges in meeting patients' needs.

Aims: To assess availability and safety of blood transfusion during humanitarian emergencies.

Methods: We searched PubMed and Index Medicus for the World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean Region for data on availability and safety of blood transfusion during humanitarian emergencies. We also gathered information through a survey and during a regional consultation in Tunisia.

Results: We found 24 publications on disaster from 5 countries in the Region and 16 publications on disaster preparedness and blood transfusion in casualties and severe trauma outside the Region. However, none dealt with availability and safety of blood transfusion during humanitarian emergencies. Armed conflicts and terrorism, flooding and earthquakes are the most frequent emergencies with 10-85% of the injured requiring blood transfusion. There are gaps in emergency preparedness and response, including human resources, transport and cold chain, supply of consumables and maintenance of equipment, power supply, and finances.

Conclusions: There is a need to integrate blood transfusion services in the overall national emergency preparedness and response, and provide assistance to affected countries to address identified gaps. Recommendations for individual countries need to be tailor made, along the lines of the regional strategic framework for blood safety and availability.