By Wallace Mawire
Rwanda is set to the 8th International Congress of the Africa Society for Blood Transfusion (AfSBT) in Kigali on 31 May to 3 June 2016, according to a statement issued by Jean Baptiste Tapko, President of AfSBT.

According to Tapko, the congress is being organized by AfSBT in partnership with the Rwanda Biomedical Center.  “It is expected to give access to scientific, technical, administrative and operational information to enrich the professional careers of delegates and will provide guidance in making blood transfusion safer,” Tapko said.

Some of the issues to be discussed at the congress include safe and sustainable blood services, clinical use of blood, blood component production, safe blood donors including plasma derived medicinal products.

The Africa Society for Blood Transfusion’s mission is to advocate for the highest ethical and professional standards and skills in blood transfusion across Africa, enabling safe, universally accessible and sustainable national blood programmes in participating countries.

Since 1999, AfSBT has held biennial scientific congresses in various African countries including South Africa, Tunisia, Nigeria, Kenya, Mauritius and Zimbabwe. The organization has also received support from the Center for Diseases Control (CDC).