[The training in transfusion medicine remains deficient in the centres of Francophone sub-Saharan Africa: results of a preliminary study]. / La formation en médecine transfusionnelle reste insuffisante dans les centres d'Afrique subsaharienne francophone: résultats d'une étude préliminaire.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the needs in staff training in transfusion centres of Sub-Saharan Africa. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This preliminary study analyzed the training level of each personnel of four blood banks of Sub-Saharan Africa, their training fields, duration and training structures. RESULTS: The needs remain high in all the fields and are critical regarding the administration of blood transfusion services, equipment maintenance and clinical use of blood.

[The transfusion center, the blood donor and the given blood in francophone African countries]. / Le centre de transfusion, le donneur de sang et le sang donné dans les pays d'Afrique francophone.

In subsaharan Africa, knowledge of the organization and methods of transfusion centers, as well as blood donor characteristics, is essential in choosing strategies to improve transfusion practices and the security of blood products on this Continent. The present study was based on a analysis led in partnership with the transfusion of seven francophone African countries (Burkina-Faso, Cameroon, Congo, Ivory Cost, Mali, Niger, and Rwanda). The results showed that withstanding significant progress has been realized in the organization and safety, but much remains to be undertaken over the years to come in order to improve the organization of the centers, the providing of blood products and the infectious and immunohematologic safety. This evolution, for the moment, is limited by the financial resources, insufficient training of personnel and cultural obstacles, but will necessarily pass through the pursuit of conjugated efforts of the scientific, international and local communities.

[The erythrocyte phenotype in ABO and Rh blood groups in blood donors and blood recipients in a hospital setting of Cameroon: adapting supply to demand]. / Le phénotype érythrocytaire dans les systèmes ABO et Rh chez le donneur et le receveur de produits sanguins en milieu hospitalier camerounais: adapter l'offre à la demande.

The administration of ABO and Rh compatible blood products is primordial for the immulogic safety of blood during blood transfusion, more so in resource limited settings where blood grouping is confined to ABO and Rh testing only. Thus, from an immunological perspective, the frequency of blood phenotypes and the qualitative balance between supply and demand of blood products in a Cameroonian hospital were analyzed. All blood collected was phenotypically typed and compared to the phenotypes of all transfusion recipients during the same period. A total of 1007 units of blood and 1013 recipients were typed. Our results showed that in the donor group, the frequencies of phenotypes A, B, AB, O, and RH1 were respectively 24.2 %, 18.8 %, 5.7 %, 51.3 % and 97.6 %. In the recipient group, the respective frequencies were 40 %, 12.4 %, 3.4 %, 44.2 % and 96.9 %. The supply for blood phenotypes O, B and AB was higher than the demand, and the reverse was true for phenotype A and RH-1. Further sensitization of phenotype A and RH-1 donors may enhance meeting these needs.