Enabel and Red Cross-Flanders will help Ukraine rebuild blood system

From 17 to 21 November, Red Cross-Flanders and Enabel will receive a delegation from Ukraine to study the blood system in our country. This five-day study visit is the kick-off of an intensive cooperation in which Red Cross-Flanders, on behalf of Enabel, will assist the Ukrainian blood bank to rebuild the blood supply in the country.

“This project fits within the broader Belgian programme for the reconstruction of Ukraine that we are implementing with Enabel,” said Jean Van Wetter, CEO of Enabel.

Ukraine’s blood system faces major challenges. Since the outbreak of war, the demand for blood has increased by 40%, while several blood establishments have been damaged or destroyed, making this task almost impossible. In addition, Ukraine wants to comply with European regulations on blood supply, meaning that quality control, transport, storage and collection must meet strict requirements.

“Our mission during this five-day, but especially in the coming years, is to export our expertise in blood supply to Ukraine. Conversely, it is a unique opportunity for us to learn from our Ukrainian colleagues and, more specifically, how, in a situation of conflict and uncertainty, they still manage to keep their blood bank working,” says Philippe Vandekerckhove, managing director of Red Cross Flanders.

The road of blood

During its visit, the Ukrainian delegation will receive in-depth explanations about the functioning of the blood bank in Flanders. Red Cross-Flanders will explain how they ensure that the quality and safety of blood in Flanders is very high through their donor selection system and the medical tests carried out on the blood, at a low price per blood bag. In addition, they will give an insight into how they organise thousands of mobile collections on an annual basis, how they manage to align logistics chains and how they can adequately supply hospitals.

Northeast Ukraine

The cooperation between Enabel, Red Cross Flanders and the Ukrainian blood bank will initially focus around the city of Chernihiv in the north of the country. The blood centre in the city serves the Chernihiv region and the neighbouring Sumy region, making it crucial for the entire north-east of the country. The Belgian organisations are working with the Ukrainian authorities to renovate and equip the blood centre with modern equipment, and to ensure that its operation eventually meets European standards, which is important in the prospect of later EU membership.

Technical expertise

Red Cross Flanders’ expertise will be used to align the Ukrainian blood system with European quality and safety standards. The Red Cross will contribute to strengthening quality control, traceability and modernisation of blood processing in Ukraine. They will also use their expertise to scale up recruitment of voluntary donations.

“Ukraine works with voluntary blood donations, just like us. That system has many advantages, it makes it crisis-proof and the donated blood is a lot safer for the final recipient. But in the short term, it brings the challenge of attracting new donors, keeping up with existing donors, and implementing all this in a cost-effective way. The Flemish scale-up of plasma donations is an example within Europe, we now want to translate that knowledge to Ukraine,” says Vandekerckhove of Red Cross Flanders.

Strong cooperation

Enabel envisages funding of €2 million for this cooperation, as part of Belgium’s Be-Relieve programme for the reconstruction of Ukraine. These funds should cover technical assistance, equipment of the centre in Chernihiv and training of Ukrainian specialists.

Jean Van Wetter, CEO of Enabel: “It is self-evident that we are setting up this cooperation with the Red Cross for our programme in Ukraine. This will undoubtedly save lives. This knowledge exchange is incredibly important for all parties as long as the war lasts, but I am convinced that our cooperation will also be useful in the future and in other contexts.”

Ukrainian delegation

The Ukrainian delegation includes representatives from the Ukrainian Ministry of Health, the Ukrainian Centre for Transplant Coordination (UTCC), the Chernihiv blood centre, and the NGO “Blood Agents”. This introduction to the blood bank in Flanders is the beginning of a deeper long-term cooperation.

Yaroslav Melnyk, Ukraine’s ambassador to Belgium, expresses his gratitude: “We are very grateful to Belgium, Enabel and Red Cross Flanders for the support they continue to give Ukraine in these difficult times. The war is putting pressure on our healthcare system. The help of our Belgian partners in rebuilding and modernising the blood system in Ukraine is not only timely but also saves lives. The know-how shared with the Ukrainian delegation during this study visit, together with the €2 million grant agreement signed today under the Belgian Be-Relieve programme, will launch long-term cooperation and strengthen our ability to ensure safe, high-quality blood products for our citizens. This partnership is an example of the practical, humane and forward-looking assistance Ukraine so desperately needs.”

“Our cooperation is also an investment in Ukraine’s European future. By bringing Ukraine’s blood system in line with EU standards, this cooperation brings us closer to European Union standards and practices. Standards that Ukraine has committed to adhere to as part of its path to membership. I am grateful to Enabel and the Flanders Red Cross for their leadership, trust and friendship. Their contribution will save countless lives, strengthen our resilience and lay the foundation for a stronger and more modern healthcare system in Ukraine,” he added.

“We are in Belgium to learn how to strengthen and modernise our blood centres in Ukraine. This is necessary not only to cope with the rising demand due to the war, but also to bring our quality standards to European level for the long term,” says Oleksandr Sergienko, UTCC deputy director.