AEGiS-14IAC: The safety of blood transfusion at Nsanje rural hospital, Malawi:-an audit of laboratory results.

14th International AIDS Conference

Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

The safety of blood transfusion at Nsanje rural hospital, Malawi:-an audit of laboratory results.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no.. F11749)

Mtonga RE
University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia

INTRODUCTION: Nsanje Rural District Hospital is located in the Shire Valley in at the Southern tip of Malawi. Infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, diarrhoels diseases, respiratory diseases, bilharziasis as well as anaemias an malnutrition are the main cases seen here. The hospital uses a substantial amount of blood in the treatment of anaemias, surgical and obstetric emergencies such as Caesarean Sections. The hospital runs a basic Blood collection and Transfusion services on a need-basis. Being located 4 hours from the next referral across rugged terrain and streams, the hospital makes every effort to run as independently as possible. In the era of HIV/AIDS, the need to screen blood for HIV/AIDS to ensure its safety for transfusion is vitally important. This study looked at the sero-positivity of the blood collected and used at the hospital in the service to the patients.

METHODOLOGY: This was retrospective randomized study that audited laboratory reports over four years. The months of January, May and September from 1990 to 1994.

RESULTS: A total of 547 samples were audited. 45.56% of all the specimens were positive for HIV 1 and 2 using Western Blot Confirmatory Test . The spread was from 0.1% ( May 1997) to 70%(January,1993)

CONCLUSIONS: Blood safety is an issue at Nsanje District hospital. Being a rural area, 45.56% is abominably high and the dangers of spread the HIV/AIDS is a reality.

RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. Blood must be screened as thoroughly as possible even in rural areas where it is often believed that blood is relatively safe. 2. 2.It is important also to restrict blood use to only very deserving cases and bloodless surgery must be practiced as much as possible. 3. Blood substitutes such as plasma expanders, iv fluids, commercial erythropoetine must be used as much as possible so as to minimize the risk of HIV infection via blood transfusion.

Keywords: AEGIS, Blood Transfusion, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infections, Safety, HIV-1, Hospitals, Rural, Blood Banks, Blood Donors, HIV Seropositivity, Data Collection, Hospitals, Blood Grouping and Crossmatching, Blood-Borne Pathogens, Health Services Needs and Demand, Retrospective Studies, Malawi, Human, blood

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F11749