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Review Article
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on blood transfusion systems: International review and the Moroccan blood transfusion system experience
1 National Centre for Blood Transfusion and Hematology, Rabat, Morocco
2 Hematology Research Team, Hematology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
3 Central Hematology Laboratory, Ibn Sina University Hospital Centre, Rabat, Morocco
Address correspondence to:
Sabah Bouhou
MD, Medical biologist; PhD Student in life and health sciences; In charge of a scientific and technical mission to the Directorate of the National Center for Blood Transfusion and Hematology, Rabat,
Morocco
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Article ID: 100065Z02SB2021
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Bouhou S, Lahjouji K, Benajiba M, Masrar A. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on blood transfusion systems: International review and the Moroccan Blood Transfusion System experience. Int J Blood Transfus Immunohematol 2021;11:100065Z02SB2021.ABSTRACT
Introduction: Transfusion systems worldwide have had to face many challenges against the emergence or the re-emergence of numerous infectious diseases. Some of those viruses have posed significant impacts on blood transfusion activities. Several scientific and transfusion experts consider the current COVID-19 pandemic to present a potential risk of reducing and compromising the supply of blood products. Blood establishments had to activate their emergency plans and to propose appropriate response measures.
Method: It is an international review where we used key terms search strategy to identify necessary information about: (i) the impact of some previous emergent viruses on the availability and the safety of blood products and (ii) the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic on the blood transfusion activities worldwide. Additionally, we presented the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Moroccan transfusion system activities and the measures established by the Moroccan National Centre of Blood Transfusion and Hematology (MNCBTH) to ensure management of this health crisis on the availability and the safety of blood products in Morocco.
Results: Viruses like Zika, Influenza A (H1N1), Chikungunya, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and Ebola have been of great concern in terms of virulence, modes of transmission, and impact on blood transfusion activities. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the availability of blood products in blood establishments worldwide. In Morocco, the COVID-19 pandemic affected blood collections and caused a significant decrease in the number of blood donors nationally. Data provided from all regional blood transfusion centers and blood banks in Morocco show that the total number of blood donations made in 2020 was 297,841 blood donations nationally compared to 334,510 blood donations made in 2019, with a decrease of 36,669 blood donations. The number of LBP produced in 2020 was 455,805 units compared to 695,974 units produced in 2019, which corresponds to a reduction of 57,654 units. The number of Labile Blood Products (LBP) delivered in 2020 is 455,805 units against 451,736 delivered in 2019, with an increase of 4069 units. The pandemic impacted other activities of the blood transfusion system in Morocco like continuing education programs, meeting activities, technical missions, and the Moroccan plasma removal for the fractionation.
Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on blood transfusion activities worldwide. The MNCBTH has expressed continued adaptability to ensure proper management of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the availability and safety of blood products in Morocco.
Keywords: Availability, Blood donation, Blood supply, COVID-19 pandemic, Impact, Moroccan transfusion system, Safety, Transfusion
SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank all researchers, scientists, public health professionals, and blood transfusion experts for their efforts to share and make available their knowledge and the results of the studies they have conducted since the start of this new health crisis related to the COVID-19 pandemic. These efforts have made it possible to update all information related to SARS-CoV-2 to identify its characteristics better and to orient the implementation of appropriate measures for pandemic control and management, as well as by public health authorities and by blood transfusion establishments. The Moroccan National Centre of Blood Transfusion and Hematology would like to thank all the Moroccan blood transfusion system staff, all donors, and all collaborators for the efforts made since the outbreak of this health crisis. These efforts have made it possible to ensure good management of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Moroccan transfusion system and ensure the availability and the safety of blood products to patients in need.
Author ContributionsSabah Bouhou - Conception of the work, Design of the work, Acquisition of data, Analysis of data, Drafting the work, Revising the work critically for important intellectual content, Final approval of the version to be published, Agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
Khadija Lahjouji - Analysis of data, Drafting the work, Revising the work critically for important intellectual content, Final approval of the version to be published, Agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
Mohammed Benajiba - Analysis of data, Drafting the work, Revising the work critically for important intellectual content, Final approval of the version to be published, Agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
Azlarab Masrar - Analysis of data, Drafting the work, Revising the work critically for important intellectual content, Final approval of the version to be published, Agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
Guarantor of SubmissionThe corresponding author is the guarantor of submission.
Source of SupportNone
Data AvailabilityAll relevant data are within the paper and its Supporting Information files.
Conflict of InterestAuthors declare no conflict of interest.
Copyright© 2021 Sabah Bouhou et al. This article is distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium provided the original author(s) and original publisher are properly credited. Please see the copyright policy on the journal website for more information.
