The Blood Cold Chain: Guide to the Selection and Procurement of Equipment and Accessories

by World Health Organization

This publication aims to provide practical guidance to all those involved in the management of blood programs. Following an introduction to the blood cold chain management process, seven chapters provide a detailed description of blood bank refrigerators, plasma freezers, platelet agitators, plasma thawing equipment, blood transport boxes, and coolants temperature monitoring devices, as well as other blood cold chain accessories. Each chapter provides WHO minimum performance specifications for the equipment and selected product information on equipment evaluated by WHO.

A specific chapter is dedicated to preventive maintenance and repair of equipment in recognition of a growing problem in developing countries. A final chapter contains practical information, including advice on selecting manufacturers, preparing tender specifications, calculating needs, as well as a series of simple checklists for procuring each item of equipment for the blood cold chain.

A pull-out Self Assessment Questionnaire will assist in the development of a standardized inventory of blood cold chain equipment in use at all levels of the health system, which should lead to improved management of procurement, replacement, and maintenance of the equipment.

The ultimate objective of the WHO Blood Cold Chain Project is to increase the availability of a safe blood supply to all populations, especially those in greatest need

70 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that is concerned with international public health. It was established on 7 April 1948, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The WHO is a member of the United Nations Development Group. Its predecessor, the Health Organization, was an agency of the League of Nations.

The constitution of the World Health Organization had been signed by 61 countries on 22 July 1946, with the first meeting of the World Health Assembly finishing on 24 July 1948. It incorporated the Office international d'hygiène publique and the League of Nations Health Organization. Since its creation, it has played a leading role in the eradication of smallpox. Its current priorities include communicable diseases, in particular HIV/AIDS, Ebola, malaria and tuberculosis; the mitigation of the effects of non-communicable diseases; sexual and reproductive health, development, and aging; nutrition, food security and healthy eating; occupational health; substance abuse; and driving the development of reporting, publications, and networking.

The WHO is responsible for the World Health Report, a leading international publication on health, the worldwide World Health Survey, and World Health Day (7 April of every year)