The Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF) firmly supports that joint and coordinated efforts are required to create positive changes in the field of blood, given the limited access of patients to essential care and services in all regions of the world, the pandemic-related blood shortages and the overall turmoil in national health systems and economies.
To this end and seeking to unite and educate patients receiving blood products on an array of topics touching upon the crucial issues of blood safety and availability, TIF is proudly organizing the ‘’1st Patients’ International Blood Alliance (PIBA) Members’ Meeting’’, which will take place virtually on June 14, 2022, at 14:00-16:30 CEST.
The ‘’1st Patients’ International Blood Alliance (PIBA) Members’ Meeting’’ will be held on June 14th in recognition and celebration of World Blood Donor Day 2022.
About the Event
The event will bring together patient advocates, renowned specialists in Haemoglobinopathies, and various blood donors’, professional societies’ and blood establishments’ representatives, who will engage in an extended round-table discussion to explore:
???? timely concerns regarding blood transfusion therapy
???? ways to improve and support blood safety and availability, and
???? the value of voluntary blood donation
A special session will be dedicated to the PIBA initiative, created and led by TIF, its added value, and the need for stronger patient synergies in support of blood safety and availability, in particular in developing countries.
About PIBA
The Patients’ International Blood Alliance (PIBA) is a patient-led, patient-centered network of stakeholders, active in the field of transfusion medicine. Geared towards people in chronic need of blood products, the PIBA aspires to bring together broader communities of stakeholders and to enable them to exchange knowledge and ideas on how to address the existing challenges in the field of blood safety and availability. The ultimate aim is to educate and empower patient groups to be active partners in policymaking and at the same time promote the development of synergies between different stakeholders working in the field of blood transfusion across all regions of the world.
Ιt is worth noting that this idea was first discussed in May 2017 during the 70th World Health Assembly and was revisited in November 2021 in the context of the “Global Forum on Access to Safe Blood Products for Patients in Need of Regular Transfusion”. Since then, it has been embraced by all relevant stakeholders, including the World Health Organization (WHO), patient groups, experts in transfusion medicine, and national blood establishments. Therefore, the upcoming meeting will mark the birth of a global movement in support of the WHO Action Framework to advance universal access to safe, effective and quality assured blood products 2020 – 2023 and beyond.
