The purpose of this project is to improve the safety of the blood bank system in Zimbabwe through strengthening the National Blood Services of Zimbabwe and Ministry of Health and Child Welfare Blood Department laboratories. The expected outcome of this assistance is to prevent the deterioration of blood safety standards in the country and to improve access to safe blood in Zimbabwe through increasing the quantity of blood collected and the cost of blood. The initial phase of the project shall include identification of current needs and gaps of the national blood safety program and development of a work plan designed to address the key issues identified. Activities under this project may include any of the following: 1) Infrastructure: Provision of standard blood collection, laboratory and other equipment and reagents to five NBSZ blood collection facilities to: a) Improve blood collection and testing for transfusion transmitted infections; b) Perform blood grouping and cross matching; and c) Ensure a cold chain to enable mobile collection efforts to access a wider area, while preserving the integrity of the blood units collected. 2)Blood Collection: Development of site specific protocols and strengthening procedures for obtaining, handling, processing, storing, transporting, and distributing blood collected through a) Recruitment and retention of a network of blood donor recruiters and blood donor counselors; b) Development of a system to identify low-risk and repeat blood donors using BCC principles and approaches for promotion of voluntary, non-remunerated regular blood donation; c)Improvement of capacity of facilities to obtain, process and store blood safely with appropriate record keeping; and d) Maintain National quality assurance standards in collection, testing, and storage of blood. 3)Blood testing and utilization: Develop generic national and site-specific protocols based on accepted international standards for a)Testing blood for ABO, HIV, HBsAG, HCV, VDRL, and HTLV 1-2; b) Managing blood processing facilities, including procurement of supplies and reagents; c) Implementing effective quality assurance procedures for testing blood, including appropriate segregation and final disposal of medical waste; d) External quality assurance; e) Record-keeping; f) Blood utilization review to assure optimal and rational blood usage. 4) Training and education: Ensure that training and continuing education programs are provided to appropriate health care professionals throughout Zimbabwe who are involved with blood transfusion services, including physicians, nurses, physicians assistants, community health aides, counselors, phlebotomists and laboratory technicians on: a) Appropriate blood donor recruitment and blood collection; b) Basic principles in the practice of blood banking and transfusion medicine, including the rational utilization of blood products; c) Safe transfusion practices, including reducing the demand for unnecessary transfusions and recognizing community norms in practices regarding blood transfusions. 5) Monitoring and Evaluation: Development and implemenation of appropriate information and monitoring systems to a) Track donated units of blood; b) Allow for review and adjustment of program activities; c) Measure clinical outcomes to assess the impact of the program. 6) Equipment maintenance: Establish and maintain a complete inventory of equipment and a central maintenance contract to ensure routine maintenance and calibration of equipment in accordance with manufactuerers' specification. 7) Cost of blood: Reduce cost of blood to patients according to identified need-based criteria to increase access to safe blood especially in remote locations, such as at mission hospitals.

The purpose of this project is to improve the safety of the blood bank system in Zimbabwe through strengthening the National Blood Services of Zimbabwe and Ministry of Health and Child Welfare Blood Department laboratories. The expected outcome of this assistance is to prevent the deterioration of blood safety standards in the country and to improve access to safe blood in Zimbabwe through increasing the quantity of blood collected and the cost of blood. The initial phase of the project shall include identification of current needs and gaps of the national blood safety program and development of a work plan designed to address the key issues identified. Activities under this project may include any of the following: 1) Infrastructure: Provision of standard blood collection, laboratory and other equipment and reagents to five NBSZ blood collection facilities to: a) Improve blood collection and testing for transfusion transmitted infections; b) Perform blood grouping and cross matching; and c) Ensure a cold chain to enable mobile collection efforts to access a wider area, while preserving the integrity of the blood units collected. 2)Blood Collection: Development of site specific protocols and strengthening procedures for obtaining, handling, processing, storing, transporting, and distributing blood collected through a) Recruitment and retention of a network of blood donor recruiters and blood donor counselors; b) Development of a system to identify low-risk and repeat blood donors using BCC principles and approaches for promotion of voluntary, non-remunerated regular blood donation; c)Improvement of capacity of facilities to obtain, process and store blood safely with appropriate record keeping; and d) Maintain National quality assurance standards in collection, testing, and storage of blood. 3)Blood testing and utilization: Develop generic national and site-specific protocols based on accepted international standards for a)Testing blood for ABO, HIV, HBsAG, HCV, VDRL, and HTLV 1-2; b) Managing blood processing facilities, including procurement of supplies and reagents; c) Implementing effective quality assurance procedures for testing blood, including appropriate segregation and final disposal of medical waste; d) External quality assurance; e) Record-keeping; f) Blood utilization review to assure optimal and rational blood usage. 4) Training and education: Ensure that training and continuing education programs are provided to appropriate health care professionals throughout Zimbabwe who are involved with blood transfusion services, including physicians, nurses, physicians assistants, community health aides, counselors, phlebotomists and laboratory technicians on: a) Appropriate blood donor recruitment and blood collection; b) Basic principles in the practice of blood banking and transfusion medicine, including the rational utilization of blood products; c) Safe transfusion practices, including reducing the demand for unnecessary transfusions and recognizing community norms in practices regarding blood transfusions. 5) Monitoring and Evaluation: Development and implemenation of appropriate information and monitoring systems to a) Track donated units of blood; b) Allow for review and adjustment of program activities; c) Measure clinical outcomes to assess the impact of the program. 6) Equipment maintenance: Establish and maintain a complete inventory of equipment and a central maintenance contract to ensure routine maintenance and calibration of equipment in accordance with manufactuerers' specification. 7) Cost of blood: Reduce cost of blood to patients according to identified need-based criteria to increase access to safe blood especially in remote locations, such as at mission hospitals.