Supply of blood for transfusion in Latin American and Caribbean countries 2012 and 2013

Abstract

[Introduction]. This document aims to follow up the publication entitled “2010 and 2011 Blood supply for transfusions in Latin America and the Caribbean”, with the purpose of presenting indicators on the availability and safety of blood and its components, as well as of the national blood systems organization. The information is based on the data provided by the health authorities from the years 2012 and 2013. A total of 19 countries/territories responded in 2012 and 18 in 2013, from the Caribean, and total of 19 countries in 2012, while 17 in 2013 responded from Latin America. A standard Excel Form was sent to each country to facilitate the collection of indicators; however, not all countries used it, consequently the information was received in different formats, thus making data comparison difficult... In 2013 some changes were made to the form that was sent to the countries to collect information in order to facilitate data flow and interpretation. In addition, the new format articulates regional indicators collected by PAHO and the indicators collected globally by WHO, which facilitates reporting to national authorities through one single form. Similarly, the new form seeks to expand the data collected, so as to include information on hemo-vigilance, apheresis procedures, plasma derivatives and aggregated data from blood donors, transfused patients and disposed units. The form was designed jointly by the Pan America Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva.