Blood donation in Morocco: a 20-year retrospective study of blood collection in the Rabat blood centre.

Objectives: We trace the history of blood donors and the recruitment strategies developed between 1988 and 2008 in the regional blood transfusion centre of Rabat. Beside, we draw a distribution map of the blood donors' population in Morocco during the year 2008.

Background: Limited resource countries face considerable obstacles to ensuring a safe blood supply and safe blood transfusions. Many countries used and some of them still depend on replacement blood donors.

Methods: Data published in this article had been collected from the CRTS of Rabat archives and reports. Data from all the 16 regional blood transfusion centres were collected from the report annually presented by the different regions.

Results: We found that during the 20 years period studied, the number of blood units collected by Rabat recorded many fluctuations. In the mean time, many measures were taken to promote the recruitment of voluntary blood donors. The proportion of these later jumped from 16·55% in 1988 to reach almost 80% in 2008. Beside, the whole country's blood collection map for the year 2008 showed that 190 504 of whole blood units were collected. This means that there are only six donations per 1000 people.

Conclusion: This is the first study conducted in Morocco that provided detailed information on ongoing trends in blood donor profiles. The creation and development of new mobile drive units and maintaining them over time was the key to increase the collection of blood units from voluntary, non-remunerated blood donors.