Juba, 28 August 2017 – The Ministry of Health with support from the Government of Japan and the World Health Organization has expanded safe blood transfusion services to Wau, former Western Bahr el Ghazal State. The rollout of the Blood Transfusion services to regional level is a fundamental contribution towards building the capacity of the region to provide and increase access to safe blood supply.

On 25 August 2017, a new Regional blood transfusion center with capacity to collect over 1000 units of blood per year was launched at Wau Teaching Hospital. This is in-line with the Blood Transfusion Services project expansion plan of establishing two regional centers at Wau and Malakal to increase voluntary non-remunerated blood donations. WHO and the Government of Japan also provided the center with a vehicle for blood donation campaign and blood delivery, four desktop computers, and three laptops to improve record keeping, data collection, monitoring and evaluation.

South Sudan needs about 100 000 units of blood per year to meet the demand of safe blood and blood products due to the high number of obstetric complications, malaria, anaemia in children and the increasing number of trauma that require lifesaving blood transfusion. Currently the country is able to collect only 6000 units of blood per year through the National Blood Transfusion Services (NBTS), which is not sufficient to address the national demand for safe blood transfusion.

Dr Riek Gai Kok, the Honorable Minister of Health commended the partnership between the Government of Japan, WHO and other partners in strengthening Blood Transfusion Services and expressed confidence that the operations of the new regional center would be sustainable.

“The Wau Regional Blood Transfusion Center is expected to boost the supply for safe blood and blood products in the Greater Bahr el Ghazal Region with an estimated total population of over 2 million”, says Dr Abdulmumini Usman, WHO Representative to South Sudan. Since 2014, WHO with financial support from the Government of Japan has been providing both technical and logistical support to the Ministry of Health to expand and consolidate the blood safety program, and establish efficient and sustainable blood transfusion services at national and regional levels.

‘Blood is life!’ says H.E. Kiya Masahiko, the Japanese Ambassador to South Sudan. The Ambassador underscored the importance of voluntary blood donation and encouraged the community to participate regularly. He also reiterated Japan's commitment to continue supporting the Blood Transfusion project in South Sudan.

During the launch practical training sessions, publicity campaign for voluntary blood donations, as well as blood donation drive were conducted to support the centre. Over 30 units of blood were donated during the launch.

In attendance were, Dr Lul Lojok Deng, Director General of Blood Transfusion Services and National Public Health Laboratory, Honorable Anderia Mayar the Governor of Wau State; Dr Bakhit Mawien, the Director General of Wau Teaching Hospital; government officials, partners; community leaders and students.