Friday, Dr. Florence Duperval Guillaume, the Ministry of Public Health, in the presence of its partners PAHO / WHO and the National Society of the Haitian Red Cross, has officially launched the National Transfusion Security Policy (PNST) which is part of the necessity for Haiti to adapt to a new reality, aims to improve the blood transfusion system, redistributing roles and even the operating mechanisms of the various players.

Florence Duperval Guillaume, the Minister of Health stressed the importance of blood donation, its promotion, the strengthening of the system of quality management and the fight against the perception surrounding blood donation recalling that "anemia represent one major causes of morbidity, respectively with a prevalence of 49% and 65% in women and children "making transfusion a priority.

Ernst Noël, Head of the National Blood Safety Program, abounds in the same direction, stressing the need "to intensify the blood collection campaigns in mobilizing resources for the promotion of volunteerism and overcome taboos. [...]"

Data released on blood transfusion reality in Haiti, indicate that 19,000 units of blood were collected in 2011 and 27.438 in 2013. A number pockets well below the national needs estimated at 100,000 units of blood annually.

IH/ iciHaiti