title: The blood supply in Sub-Saharan Africa: needs, challenges, and solutions.
abstract: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is burdened with a growing population and poor health care resources. Transfusion medicine is uniquely affected for SSA as a result of a combination of factors which put tremendous pressure on the blood supply. In this review, we consider these factors including: malaria, sickle cell anemia, transfusion medicine infrastructure, and past transfusion medicine policies including those which are tied to foreign aid, such as a VNRD-only practice. We also consider how SSA can overcome some of these hurdles to achieve a safe and adequate blood supply for its people through the advent of new vaccines, medications, infrastructure development, policy changes, and education.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States. Electronic address: lundx072@umn.edu.
authors.forename: Troy C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Lund
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hume
authors.forename: Jean P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Allain
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McCullough
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dzik
mesh_terms: D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000453:epidemiology; D001771:Blood Banks / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000379:methods*; D003906:Developing Countries; D006801:Humans
keywords: Blood Supply; Global; Sub Saharan Africa; Transfusion