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. 2021 Feb;116(2):197-206.
doi: 10.1111/vox.13001. Epub 2020 Sep 30.

Evaluation of the WHO global database on blood safety

Udhayashankar Kanagasabai  1   2 , Dejana Selenic  2 , Michelle S Chevalier  2 , Bakary Drammeh  2 , Michael Qualls  2 , Ray W Shiraishi  2 , Naomi Bock  2 , Irene Benech  2 , Fatima D Mili  2
Affiliations

Evaluation of the WHO global database on blood safety

Udhayashankar Kanagasabai et al. Vox Sang. 2021 Feb.

Abstract

Objective: While the Global Database on Blood Safety (GDBS) helps to monitor the status of adequate and safe blood availability, its presence alone does not serve as a solution to existing challenges. The objective of this evaluation was to determine the GDBS usefulness in improving the availability of adequate safe blood and its ability to function as a surveillance system.

Methods: The GDBS was evaluated using methods set out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guidelines for assessing surveillance systems. Six recommended tasks were used to evaluate if the GDBS met the requirements of a surveillance system in a public health context.

Results: The majority of stakeholders engaged with GDBS found it was unique and useful. The GDBS answered all six questions essential for determining a blood safety surveillance system's usefulness. The GDBS fully met the needs to six of the eleven attributes used for evaluating the usefulness of a surveillance system.

Conclusion: The GDBS is a unique global activity that provides vital data on safety of blood transfusion services across countries and regions. However, aspects of the GDBS such as timeliness of reporting and improvement of WHO Member States national blood information systems could enhance its effectiveness and potential to serve as a global surveillance system for blood safety.

Keywords: WHO; blood safety; surveillance; transfusions.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Simplified chart for data flow within the Global Database on Blood Safety (GDBS).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. World Health Organisation: Global Status Report on Blood Safety and Availability. Geneva, 2016. http://www.who.int/bloodsafety/global_database/en/
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    1. World Health Organization: Blood Transfusion Safety — Part I. Geneva; 2008. http://www.who.int/bloodsafety/en/.
    1. World Health Organization (WHO): Global Collaboration for Blood Safety (200–2010). Blood Transfusion Safety. https://www.who.int/bloodsafety/gcbs/en/. Published 2019. Accessed April 8, 2019.
    1. World Health Organization: Global Database on Blood Safety: Summary Report 1998–1999. Geneva, Switzweland; 2001. https://www.who.int/bloodsafety/GDBS_Report_2001-2002.pdf?ua=1.

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