Aide-mémoire for ministries of health: national haemovigilance system

Overview

Haemovigilance is a set of surveillance procedures covering the entire transfusion chain, from the donation and processing of blood and its components, to their provision and transfusion to patients and their follow-up. Haemovigilance includes the monitoring, reporting, investigation and analysis of adverse events related to the donation, processing and transfusion of blood, as well as the development and implementation of recommendations to prevent their occurrence or recurrence. The ultimate goal of haemovigilance is continuous quality improvement of the transfusion chain through corrective and preventive actions to improve patient safety and outcomes, enhance donor safety and reduce wastage. Haemovigilance should be fully integrated into the quality systems of all institutions involved in the donation and provision of blood and blood products, including processing, inventory management, storage and distribution, and in clinical transfusion.

The organization of a haemovigilance system is largely determined by the structure of the national blood system and the health system. A system of haemovigilance is dependent on the traceability of blood and blood products from donors to recipients and vice versa, and on the monitoring, reporting, investigation and analysis of adverse events. The rigorous management of information generated through this system is key to introducing amendments in blood policies and guidelines that lead to changes in processes and practices in donation and transfusion