OpportunityTitle: Supporting the National Blood Transfusion Service in the Implementation and Expansion of Blood Safety Activities in Ethiopia under the President&#146;s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: The Ministry of Health (MOH) of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is the responsible body for the NBTS in Ethiopia, with regulatory, coordination, and oversight roles. Blood transfusion service delivery, however, has been delegated to the Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) since 2006, which will expire in January 2010.  Upon expiration of the MOU, NBTS will assume responsibility for blood transfusion service delivery.     The Ethiopian FMOH, through the ERCS, has built 21 blood banks: 16 with support from PEPFAR funding; three through the Global Fund, and two through the Ethiopia Multi-Sectoral HIV/AIDS Project, a national program funded by the World Bank to reduce the spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, alleviate its impact, and increase access to treatment, care, and support for those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.  The new blood banks, as well as the 12 existing blood banks, are strategically located throughout the country to cover the transfusion requirements of all health units within a 100-km radius. As new blood banks were constructed within the existing ones, overlaps were evident and currently there are 26 blood centers throughout Ethiopia.    Since 2004, the NBTS has received approximately $12,300,000 from PEPFAR as a construction and non-construction grant to strengthen blood transfusion services in Ethiopia in order to ensure the safety and adequacy of the national blood supply.  During this period, with technical assistance from the World Health Organization (WHO), core strategies and achievements of the NBTS have included: 1) development of a national blood policy and a five-year strategic plan for the years 2006&#150;2010, which serves as a road map for implementing the country&#146;s blood safety activities; 2) mobilization and recruitment of low-risk donors; 3) strengthening the capacity of NBTS and regional blood banks (acquisition of laboratory equipment and other supplies, vehicles for donor mobilization, generators, cold chain systems, computers); 4) testing 100% of donated blood units for transfusion-transmitted infections (including HIV); 5) training prescribers and users of blood products in order to improve the therapeutic and clinical use of blood; and 6) development of national guidelines, protocols, standards, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure the delivery of high-quality blood services.    The NBTS under the FMOH is the only eligible applicant that can apply for this funding opportunity due to its unique position as the official national service provider and policy maker for safe blood collection and transfusion practices in Ethiopia.  Furthermore, supporting the NBTS is consistent with the national mandate to strengthen one central system for sustainable practices in blood safety and with PEPFAR goals for sustainability and systems strengthening.
Description: The purpose of this announcement is to support the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) in the provision of a safe and adequate supply of blood and blood products to health facilities in Ethiopia.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: GENERAL E-MAIL
GrantorContactText: PGO TIMS &lt;br/&gt;grants &lt;br/&gt;Phone 770-488-2700