The Federal Government has launched a new initiative aimed at transforming blood transfusion services across the country, pledging to ensure that no Nigerian dies from lack of safe blood.
The Safe Blood Project, unveiled at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) in Kano, is Nigeria’s first national training programme dedicated to transfusion safety.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, who was represented by the Ministry’s Director of Hospital Services, Dr. Salaudeen Olawale Jimoh, described the launch as a “significant milestone in our collective effort to strengthen healthcare systems and save lives.”
Prof. Pate said: “Safe blood is not just a medical commodity; it is a lifeline.
“Every day in Nigeria, mothers in childbirth, children with severe anaemia, victims of road accidents, and patients undergoing surgeries depend on blood to survive. Unsafe transfusion practices can cause harm rather than healing. That is why this project is so vital.”
He added that the Federal Government’s renewed focus on blood safety aligns with its broader health policy priorities, including reducing maternal and child mortality and strengthening emergency care. “
Access to safe blood is a fundamental right in modern healthcare. With this project, Nigeria is moving closer to achieving universal health coverage,” he stated.
The Safe Blood Project, coordinated by the National Blood Service Agency (NBSA), is designed to equip Nigerian health workers with up-to-date knowledge in transfusion medicine, strengthen laboratories for safe blood screening and storage, and institutionalize voluntary, non-remunerated blood donation as the bedrock of the national blood supply.
It will also serve as a hub for research and innovation to guide policy, and establish monitoring systems to reduce transfusion-related risks.
NBSA Director-General, Prof. Saleh Yuguda, underscored the urgency of the initiative.
He said: “Safe blood cannot be achieved by infrastructure alone. It requires competent hands, knowledgeable minds, and strict adherence to standards.
“Every transfusion must be safe, effective, and justified. By training health workers and strengthening blood banks, we ensure that our hospitals become truly beneficial to those who need them most. Together, we are building a Nigeria where no life is lost due to unsafe blood transfusion.”
He further disclosed that the outcomes of the project would be replicated across all 36 states of the federation, ensuring that patients in both rural and urban areas gain access to safe blood whenever needed.
The Safe Blood Project is the product of years of partnership between Nigeria and international collaborators.
For more than a decade, Prof. Andreas Greinacher, a renowned transfusion medicine specialist from the Institute of Transfusion Medicine, University of Greifswald, Germany, has worked with Nigerian hematologists to improve blood safety systems.
At the Kano launch, Prof. Greinacher stressed the need for Nigeria to invest in research and innovation in blood services.
He said: “No life should be lost due to absence of blood or unsafe transfusion.
“When government commits to clinical research, it has multiplier effects that extend beyond the health sector — strengthening the economy, communities, and national resilience.”
The initiative has been generously sponsored by the Else Kröner-Fresenius Stiftung (EKFS), a German foundation that has supported several healthcare interventions across Africa.
The choice of Kano as the host city was not accidental. Officials described the state as a historic centre of scholarship, resilience, and healthcare.
The Chief Medical Director of AKTH, Prof. Abdulrahman Sheshe, hailed the decision as timely.
Sheshe said: “Blood is critical to every surgical procedure. This project ensures that we give it the attention it deserves, making it available, safe, and accessible at all times.
“For us at AKTH, it is both an honour and a responsibility to serve as the host of this groundbreaking initiative.”
Beyond institutions and policies, speakers at the event acknowledged the critical role of frontline professionals.
Representing the Minister, Dr. Jimoh praised doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists, and donor recruiters as the “heroes who will translate this vision into reality.”
Traditional and religious leaders in Kano were also commended for their role in mobilizing voluntary blood donations, described as sadaqah jariyah — a continuous charity in Islamic teaching, where every drop of blood donated contributes to saving lives.
Health experts at the launch described the Safe Blood Project as a “milestone for Nigeria’s national health system.”
They argued that the initiative would not only reduce preventable deaths but also align Nigeria’s healthcare services with international best practices.
By situating the programme in Kano and building strong local-international partnerships, the Federal Government hopes to create a regional hub for transfusion training and safety that will serve not just Nigeria, but West Africa.
As Prof. Pate put it: “This launch represents our renewed determination to guarantee that every Nigerian, regardless of location or circumstance, has access to safe, adequate, and quality-assured blood and blood products whenever needed.”
