From next October 13 to 16, the 12th Colombian Congress of Blood Banks and Transfusion Medicine begins, which will be held this year in the city of Medellín in person following 4 years, so its motto is ¨Again together, innovating to strengthen capacities¨.
The event is organized by the Colombian Association of Blood Banks and Transfusion Medicine, Acobasmet, together with the Ibero-American Cooperative Group of Transfusion Medicine, GCIAMT, and seeks to open spaces for medical education for the development of Transfusion Medicine for the benefit of the health and well-being of the population. population. The Congress will also have the support of different entities and institutions at the governmental and private levels.
NEWS IN THE CONGRESS
This version of the Congress is held under the motto ¨Together once more, innovating to strengthen capacities¨. In this sense, Dr. Marcela García-Castro, president of the Congress, said: “this is a novel event. For example, the topics of the Congress were selected from a survey that we carried out between the two organizing institutions to find out what the sector wanted to hear”.
“We also wanted to highlight and promote free research papers and give a space, within the academic program, to the best work that is selected from among 82 proposals presented to Congress.” The president indicated.
The Congress will receive more than 40 professional blood experts at a national and international level, who will address different topics within 7 thematic axes to be addressed: Promotion, Quality, Apheresis, Immunohematology, Transfusion Medicine, Cell Therapy, Hematology and Infectious.
Here, Dr. Marcela García-Castro highlights: “we seek that the experts invited to the Congress be recognized in their fields and we are fortunate to have people with extensive experience and young professionals who have managed to position themselves as the best in their areas. This will allow us to broaden our perspectives on the subject of blood, its uses and the new technologies that are being worked on worldwide.”
Another topic that we want to highlight is regarding the promotion of donation and, more specifically, regarding the lessons learned during the pandemic. “We are aware of the difficulties that some Blood Banks had in those moments of crisis and the successful strategies that others had, we must analyze both sides.” The expert indicated.
On the other hand, it comes to the event for the first time Global Blood Foundation has delivered millions of dollars in grants, equipment, training and other forms of support to more than 50 countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean and those who will be in Congress learning regarding and supporting the work of blood banks.
Finally, the Congress opens a virtual space for transfusion medicine services with a special program aimed at those responsible for patient management, where there will be a group of invited speakers, speaking on different innovative topics such as administrative issues such as the organization of a Blood banks, patient surveillance or the application of molecular biology in blood transfusion.
THE BLOOD IN FIGURES
The figures of the Blood Network for 2021 show that at the end of 2021, a total of 83 blood banks were registered in Colombia, operating in 72.7% of the departments. The attention of 1,029,706 potential donors was reported, (14.3% more than in 2020 and -2.1% compared to 2019),
“We have a latent risk of insufficient blood supply and even more so now in this ‘new reality’, where in Colombia all economic activities and the provision of health services are beginning to normalize, contrasting that during the period of quarantines, many massive blood collection activities were canceled in churches, loyal companies, universities, as well as in public spaces coordinated with local mayors, which facilitate repeated donation. Garcia-Castro says
In this sense, the figures from the INS report reflect that voluntary donors in 2021 constituted 67.7% (+4.8% vs 2020), while regular donors were 25.6% (-8.9% compared to 2020).
BEHIND THE CONGRESS
The 12th Colombian Congress of Blood Banks and Transfusion Medicine is organized by ACOBASMET and GCIAMT.
ACOBASMET, Colombian Association of Blood Banks and Transfusion Medicine, is a scientific society that seeks to strengthen the work of professionals, from academia, scientific research, in addition to promoting the participation and integration of blood banks and transfusion medicine .
The GCIAMT brings together Societies, Associations, Cooperative Groups, Institutions, Blood Banks, Hemotherapy Services, Transfusion, Community Blood Collection Centers. Its work is to promote and favor the development of Transfusion Medicine for the benefit of the health and well-being of the population, linking organizations to each other so that they are involved in the recruitment of blood donors or components, collection, processing, distribution and transfusion. , whether public or private.
The Congress is the setting for a new call from the country’s blood professionals and health institutions to the community in general regarding the importance of working in concert to continue blood donation and achieve 100% voluntary donation as contemplated by the WHO/PAHO
