14 December 2022 15:27

The State Agency on Mandatory Health Insurance has introduced a number of innovations in the Central Blood Bank

The State Agency on Mandatory Health Insurance (Agency) has started to apply innovations to bring transfusion services and blood supply in line with modern standards.

An event devoted to the innovations introduced in the Central Blood Bank was held at the National Hematology and Transfusiology Center. Hikmet Ibrahimli, the head of the Medical Planning Department of the State Agency on Mandatory Health Insurance, delivered the opening speech, explaining that the strengthening of the material and technical base of the Central Blood Bank is evidence of the special care and attention provided to our citizens by the state. H. İbrahimli noted that blood and blood components are valuable means of treatment to protect the health of people suffering from thalassemia, hemophilia, and leukemia. He emphasized that the development of this field is vital to meet the needs of the various patients who need blood.

Teymur Mirzabayli, head of the Medical Activities Organization Department of the Administration of Regional Medical Divisions (TABIB), and Gumral Valiyeva, head of the Central Blood Bank, both gave speeches at the event covering the innovations implemented in the Central Blood Bank. The speakers said that the improvement of the material and technical base in this area will provide people with quality blood and blood components and improve the transfusion services provided to the population. At the same time, these innovations will enable our citizens to benefit from quality medical services under mandatory health insurance.

It was noted that, since September 1 of this year, two fully automated Abbott Alinity-s analyzers have been installed and used for serological screenings of blood for transmissible infections (e.g., Hepatitis B and C, human immunodeficiency virus, syphilis), which is a first for the Central Blood Bank. Such new devices have higher specificity and sensitivity than semi-automatic devices.

In addition, there are plans to install two fully automated Abbott Architect i-2000SR analyzers purchased by the Agency in the branches of the Central Blood Bank in Ganja and Lankaran for conducting serological screenings. As a result of the establishment of a centralized laboratory system, blood samples taken from donors in the Mingachevir, Barda, and Sheki branches of the Central Blood Bank will be sent to Ganja; samples from the Guba, Sumgait, and Shirvan branches will be sent to Baku. The blood samples taken by the Lankaran branch will be examined in the device installed in the city of Lankaran.

The installation of fully automated devices in the capital and other regions provides treatment and prevention facilities with high quality and safe blood components.

Another important innovation introduced in the Central Blood Bank is related to the introduction of in-line blood bag with leukoreduction filters as in developed countries. The implementation of this innovation began in June of this year. Unlike previously used blood bags without filters, in-line blood bag with leukoreduction filters allow the blood component to be filtered at the stage of preparation. When blood is stored in bags without leukoreduction filters, some substances (e.g., cytokines, etc.) are released from leukocytes. This causes reactions against the blood component in patients. However, since the blood is filtered immediately through leukoreduction filters, these substances are not released and there is less of a possibility of a reaction after the blood component is transferred.

At the end of the event, representatives of the Abbott company, Onur Minare and Rina Zakhariya, made presentations titled "Global trends and priorities in blood banks and plasma centers" and "Innovations in blood bank solutions, donor involvement, and awareness programs.