Evolving strategies to encourage repeat blood donations in first time voluntary and replacement blood donors in Ghana.

Background:

Blood mobilization and collection agencies worldwide are challenged with blood donor recruitment and retention. When the demand for blood exceeds collection, there is inadequacy of supply and safety of the blood is also compromised. This challenge varies in severity between developed and developing countries. The median blood donation rates per 1000 population are 36.4 in high-income countries, 11.6 in middle-income countries and 2.8 in low-income countries. The World Health organization (WHO) African Regional Strategy, adopted in 2001, focuses on recruitment of low risk regular voluntary donors. But, even though blood from Voluntary Non-Remunerated Blood Donors (VNRBD) is safer than Family Replacement Donors (FRD), there is evidence that blood from first time VNRBD is not safer than FRD, and that only repeat donations provide improved blood safety. Therefore in developing models to increase repeat blood donations from existing donors, it is important to understand what will encourage the first time donor, whether VNRBD or FRD, to donate again, and the repeat donor to continue donating.