Thank you for attending this side event. I am particularly grateful to our excellent Panelists and all of you for actively contributing to such fruitful deliberations.
Your passion and dedication to the goal of achieving access to safe, effective, quality and affordable blood and blood products for all in the African Region are remarkable and very much appreciated.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have made so much progress within the Region in recent years in improving blood transfusion services, but more effort is needed to achieve the Regional targets we have committed ourselves to – such as 100 percent screening of all blood units, and for voluntary blood donation to reach at least 80 percent.
To achieve these targets, all countries need to put active measures in place to strengthen the National Blood Transfusion programmes.
What matters most, though, is where we go from here. The commitments made to reach the four targets defined in the Regional Strategy for blood safety in 2001 will guide the work that countries need to do.
In this case, I suggest for your consideration that this Regional Strategy be updated.
We must never lose sight of our commitment to provide access to all patients who need blood transfusion in the African Region, regardless of their social class and financial means.
I reiterate my gratitude to all of you for your active participation. I now declare the Side Event on Blood Safety and Availability in the WHO African Region officially closed.