BLOOD TRANSFUSION SAFETY; LAGOS MINISTRY OF HEALTH EMBARKS ON QUALITY ASSESSMENT CRUSADE.
In a bid to ensure quality of health service delivery and safety blood transfusion,the Lagos State Ministry of Health during its 2026 External Quality Assessment (EQA)/ Proficiency Testing Performance Programme conducted proficiency test performance on private and public blood banks across the state with the presentation of certificates of commendation to successful private and public blood banks due to their firm adherence to the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service’s stipulated standards.
At the presentation ceremony held at the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service (LSBTS) Headquarters at Gbagada on Friday, April 17, 2026,the Executive Secretary LSBTS, Dr. Bodunrin Osikomaiya, disclosed that the 2026 exercise recorded notable improvements compared to the 2025 cycle. She attributed the progress to sustained training, regulatory enforcement, and sector-wide collaboration.
Dr. Osikomaiya explained that the EQA programme was introduced to address the absence of measurable indicators for assessing the competence of medical laboratory scientists and the operational quality of blood banks, noting that the initiative has now become a critical benchmark for performance evaluation in the State.
She stated that following gaps identified during the maiden 2025 exercise, the agency initiated and implemented targeted interventions to strengthen technical capacity and clinical decision-making among practitioners.
“participation in the 2026 cycle was impressive, with over 170 facilities enrolled and a high submission rate recorded within stipulated timelines, reflecting improved compliance among both public and private sector operators.”
The Executive Secretary emphasized that “the outcomes are encouraging, with 72 per cent of participating facilities scoring above the 80th percentile, a development she described as evidence that investments in training and supervision are yielding measurable improvements in service quality.”
She cautioned that underperforming facilities would not be spared, stressing that such centres would undergo mandatory paid retraining and repeat assessments, while those failing to meet minimum standards risk closure until full compliance is achieved. “any facility operating below required benchmarks would not be allowed to function as a blood bank in 2026 without proper registration and demonstrated competence.This is part of the effort of the state government to ensure quality and safe health delivery in the state”
She also commended private blood bank operators for their openness to reform and dedication to quality improvement, while appreciating the support of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and the State Health leadership for funding the programme, which ensured that participating facilities bore no financial burden.
In his remarks, the Quality Manager of LSBTS, Mr. Taiwo Oloko, described the 2026 EQA exercise as highly successful, noting that participation levels were commendable and that all facilities that collected samples returned their results within the required timeframe.
Oloko explained that beyond technical accuracy, the assessment also evaluated appropriate reagent usage, clinical decision-making, and blood group selection in simulated scenarios, adding that performance across these domains was largely impressive.
He further highlighted that report documentation formed a critical part of the evaluation, stressing that proper patient identification, labeling, signatures, and complete reporting are essential components of safe laboratory practice, just as much as analytical accuracy.
A representative of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Blood Bank, speaking on behalf of recipients, attributed their improved performance to deliberate training and retraining efforts, following a poor outing in the previous year, noting that teamwork and institutional support played key roles in their success.
Similarly, a Medical Laboratory Scientist from a private blood bank; Options Medical Diagnostics, Mrs. Olutope Mofikoya, described the EQA programme as a vital tool for continuous quality improvement, stating that lessons from previous assessments helped strengthen internal processes and align practices with global standards.
This is a very important move by Lagos state Government . Blood transfusion is a life saving process and strict action against non compliant operators will protect many life.Well done
This is good because the is the cause of many disease like HIV
This is good because the is the cause of many disease like HIV
Very remarkable work sir,
This is good because the is the cause of many disease like HIV
Good work