Organisation : Food and Drugs Authority
Facility : Blood Regulation
Country : Ghana
Homepage : fdaghana [dot] gov [dot] gh
Blood Regulation
Blood and its derivatives are life-saving therapies for countless trauma cases; including accidents, burns, surgery, haemorrhage during labour, delivery, and postpartum as well as treatment for certain cancers and diseases.
Related : National Service Scheme Registration procedure Ghana : www.statusin.org/26687.html
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 26 per cent of maternal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, are directly related to the lack of Quality and Safe blood and blood products.
It is therefore imperative that the FDA initiates the regulation of whole blood and its derivatives along the entire transfusion chain in consonance with the concept of Whole Blood and its derivatives as ESSENTIAL MEDICINES – unanimously endorsed by the WHO Expert Committee on Biological Standardization (ECBS), the WHO Blood Regulators Network (BRN) and the International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities (ICDRA) in October 2012
In resolution WHA63.12, the World Health Assembly (WHA) recognized that stringent regulatory control is vital in assuring the Quality and Safety of Blood and its derivatives and edged member states to update their national legislation to meet internationally recognized standards.
In Ghana, the FDA is encouraged by the Public Health Act 2012 (Act 851) to pursue its mandate of protecting public health and safety through the licensure of Blood Facilities (BF) and the listing of blood products manufactured in those facilities.
Who is going to be regulated?
BF that :
** conduct donor screening
** collect blood and blood components
** conduct testing for Transfusion Transmissible Agents
** process whole blood into blood components and blood products
** store blood, blood components and blood products
** release and distribute blood, blood component and blood products
** conduct compatibility testing on blood and blood components
** carry out secondary processing of blood components such as;
** Irradiation/Cell wash/Pack splitting
** BF that collect blood and/or blood components for pre-deposit autologous transfusion
NOTE : If a facility receive blood and/or blood components from another facility for transfusion purposes but do not perform compatibility tests on site, that facility shall not be classified as a Blood Facility
The FDA Shall :
** Allocate a site number to all Blood Facilities
** Issue a license for regulated Blood Facilities
** List all articles, including whole blood and blood derivatives manufactured in licensed Blood Facilities
** Inspect Blood Facilities twice in a year
** Actively monitor the system for reporting Serious Adverse Blood Reactions or Event (HAEMOVIGILANCE/SABRE)
** Implement periodic training programmes for staff and management of Blood Facilities
The Blood Facility Shall :
** Pay an administrative fee towards Blood Facility licensure
** Comply with all the conditions necessary to maintain the license status
Premises for a Blood Facility :
** A blood facility shall have an area of reasonable size for its operations and for preparation of blood components.
It shall be consisting of a room each for :
** Registration and medical examination. Area shall have adequate furniture and facilities for registration and selection of donors
** blood collection (air-conditioned)
** blood component preparation (The area shall be air-conditioned to maintain temperature between 20 degree Celsius to 25 degree Celsius)
** laboratory for blood group serology (air-conditioned)
** laboratory for transfusion transmissible diseases testing, i.e. Hepatitis B surface antigen, Hepatitis C, Syphilis, HIV I &II (air-conditioned)
** sterilization and washing
** donor refreshment and rest room (air-conditioned)
** stores and records room.
Contact Address :
The Chief Executive Officer’s Contact
Food and Drugs Authority
Mail: P. O. Box CT 2783,
Cantonments – Accra, Ghana.
Tel: +233-302-229794
Fax: +233-302-229794