The Federal Government has begun steps to standardise the cost of blood across hospitals in Nigeria to make blood transfusions fair, transparent, and affordable for patients.
Director-General of the National Blood Service Agency (NBSA), Saleh Yuguda, announced this on Wednesday at a workshop for hospital transfusion committee members in Abuja. He said the move followed widespread complaints from the public about the high and inconsistent fees charged by hospitals for blood services.
“Blood is a public good. We want a system that works fairly and transparently so that Nigerians can access safe blood without exploitation,” Yuguda said.
While acknowledging calls for a full government subsidy, Yuguda noted that the government already bears most of the cost of blood collection, screening, and processing. He added that once the harmonisation framework is finalised, NBSA will engage hospital administrators and state health authorities to align their pricing with national guidelines.
He also revealed that discussions are ongoing with manufacturers and suppliers of blood consumables, including blood bag producers, to curb high operating costs and stabilise prices.
A professor of haematology and transfusion medicine, Philip Olatunji, cautioned against the growing commercialisation of blood services, warning that excessive profit motives could endanger lives.
“You cannot claim to save lives and then lose them because of revenue drive,” he said, urging hospitals to practise compassion alongside sustainability.
Health policy experts at the event admitted that enforcing a uniform price structure might be difficult in Nigeria’s deregulated health sector but praised the harmonisation effort as a step towards equity and transparency in blood services.
The workshop, attended by policymakers, hospital transfusion officers, and medical professionals, also highlighted the need for active hospital transfusion committees to ensure compliance with national policies, improve blood use, and promote patient safety.
In July, the federal government announced plans to overhaul the national blood service system in line with its health priorities.
