The National Blood Strategy is a tool for substantial reform and long-term planning, said the Minister of Health, Neophytos Charalambidis, on Saturday morning.
In his address to a workshop for the presentation of the strategy, the minister said that the Ministry of Health will study it carefully and will take the necessary steps for its implementation.
The workshop was organized as part of the celebrations of World Blood Donor Day, which is celebrated on June 14.
The Minister said that the National Blood Strategy is an important initiative that focuses on patient safety, blood sufficiency and quality, the protection of donors and recipients and the creation of a modern and resilient blood service system for the country.
"Blood is a unique and irreplaceable human resource. Behind each unit of blood is a volunteer blood donor who offers selflessly, while in front of it is a patient in need of healing, hope and security. Adequacy and safe blood management are key indicators of the quality of any health system and require continuous planning, organization and monitoring," he said.
He added, moreover, that Cyprus justifiably feels proud of the long tradition of voluntary, unpaid blood donation. "Our blood donors have made our country a model internationally, proving in practice the power of social solidarity and collective responsibility," he said, thanking, on behalf of the State, the volunteer blood donors.
The Minister stated that blood donation consciousness needs continuous strengthening and support through an organized system that makes the best possible use of the contribution of each blood donor. "This need becomes even more important due to the special demands that our country is facing. Cyprus has one of the largest populations of people with thalassaemia internationally, while patients with sickle cell disease and other chronic diseases also have significant transfusion needs. For these people, access to safe and sufficient blood is a prerequisite for their quality of life," he said.
As he underlined, the new National Blood Strategy responds to this reality and is based on five main axes: ensuring adequate and safe blood for all patients, further strengthening voluntary blood donation, rational management of stocks, upgrading the quality and supervision of blood services and full harmonization with new European requirements and scientific developments.
In this context, "we are seeking better monitoring of stocks, more effective coordination between all the services involved and utilization of modern technological tools," he said. At the same time, he noted that the principles of Patient Blood Management are being promoted, in order to ensure the rational use of blood, to limit unnecessary transfusions and to improve therapeutic results.
Of particular importance, he continued, is the harmonization with the new European SoHO Regulation, which introduces higher standards of quality, safety, supervision and transparency for substances of human origin. Its implementation is an important opportunity for the further modernization of the national blood system, he noted.
"At a time of increasing challenges for health systems, the resilience of the blood system is directly linked to public health and social protection. That is why the Ministry of Health treats this Strategy as a tool for substantial reform and long-term planning," he said, adding that its success requires the cooperation of all: the Ministry of Health, the Blood Center, the Blood Banks, health professionals, patient organizations, voluntary organizations and the scientific community. "Only through joint effort can we ensure a system worthy of the needs of the citizens," he said.
The Minister thanked Dr. Androulla Eleftheriou for her decisive contribution to the formulation of the Strategy, and to the Head of the Blood Center Andri Panagiotou, the Head of the Blood Banks Maria Adamou, the members of the National Blood Donation Council and all those who contributed to the completion of this important project.
"The Ministry of Health will study the priorities of the Strategy with due seriousness and will proceed with the necessary steps for its implementation, based on scientific documentation, sound management and, above all, the needs of patients," the Minister noted.
In conclusion, he said that Cyprus today has the opportunity to combine the strong tradition of voluntary blood donation with a modern, European and patient-centered blood policy. "With respect for our blood donors and responsibility towards our patients, we are moving on to the next step," he said.
CNA
