To track and monitor the standard of operating procedures of both private and public blood banks in the state, the Lagos State Government has inaugurated a Technical Audit Committee to ensure that the product from blood banks are reliable.The committee is also to ensure that standard operating procedures are maintained at all times.

Speaking during the inauguration of the committee, the Chairman of Lagos State Blood Transfusion Services, Professor Ibironke Akinsete reiterated the state government’s resolve to tackle the issue of deaths due to lack of safe blood for transfusion, transmitting transmissible diseases and quacks operating in the blood banks.

Corroborating Akinsete’s position, the Executive Secretary of Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee, Dr Modupe Olaiya said that blood needs to be safe and available at all times. She added that blood is an important aspect of patients’ care and most efficient way of transmitting diseases, therefore, the source must be safe.

She, however, assured the state government that the Audit Committee will work hard to produce a credible result.

The Blood Bank Audit Committee which is designed to serve as quality control for all the blood banks in the state has Dr. Olaiya and Mr. Taiwo Oloko as the Chairman and the Secretary of the committee respectively. Other members are Dr. U.O. Oyekan, Dr. T.M. Balogun, Dr. B. Ifionu, Mrs. Olubunmi Ajala, Mrs. Olubukola Onadipe, Mrs. Rashidat Mecca and Mrs. Lola Alayande of Lagos State Blood Transfusion Services.

Meanwhile, training for developing guidelines and tools for the committee members is billed for the second week of November 2008, at the conference room of State Blood Transfusion Services. It is expected that members of the committee, representatives from both public and private blood banks, will attend the training programme.