Framework agreement creates safe blood for China

In an important step to help combat the spread of HIV/AIDS in China, The People's Republic of China's Ministry of Health signed a groundbreaking framework agreement with Washington, D.C.-based Safe Blood International Foundation (Safe Blood International), an organization dedicated to providing a safe blood supply for developing countries to help them stop the spread of HIV/AIDS and other blood-borne diseases at the Ministry of Health in Beijing.

According to the kickoff agreement, trainers and professionals in blood testing, standard operating procedures and quality assurance will travel to China to initiate the program early this summer. Initial target areas are the Henan and Yunan provinces.

Under this historic pact, the Ministry of Health of The People's Republic of China and Safe Blood International are jointly establishing the Safe Blood for China(TM) Foundation (Safe Blood for China) whose mission and commitment will be to develop a safe and secure blood supply within China and, in addition, to help protect Chinese citizens from blood-borne infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and C and Syphilis.

"Safe Blood International Foundation is honored to work with the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China," said Jeffrey Busch, chairman and founder of Safe Blood International. "Safe Blood International Foundation is ready to implement its safe blood program throughout China. Professional staff will be recruited from within China and around the world to provide the very best human resources and high quality blood safeguard programs to help fight the spread of HIV/AIDS and other blood-borne diseases through blood donation and blood transfusion."

With the guidance of the Ministry of Health, the partnership's goals include reducing the risk of spreading HIV/AIDS through blood transfusions by changing how blood is donated, revamping blood bank and hospital transfusion software and increasing the supply of "safe blood" throughout China by eliminating contaminated blood through improved testing and quality control.

"We are pleased to partner with Safe Blood International Foundation to further advance our national program to fight the spread of AIDS throughout the People's Republic of China," said Dr. Wenhan Bi, a representative of the Ministry of Health of China. "We have chosen Safe Blood International Foundation because of its proven safe blood strategies throughout the world and its understanding of our culture and our people."

Safe Blood for China will manage safe blood development projects, develop proposals for blood bank renovation and staff training and coordinate other programs including relevant information technology for The People's Republic of China.

The People's Republic of China and Safe Blood International will create Safe Blood for China, which will be headquartered in Beijing, with offices in Washington, D.C. The Washington office will be responsible for fundraising, accounting and meeting reporting requirements of various funding agencies and foundations. The Beijing office will provide management of the safe blood development projects, prepare proposals for blood bank renovation, train staff and coordinate the implementation of the safe blood program. In addition, Safe Blood for China will:

• Establish the Chinese Institute for Transfusion Medicine, which will be training organization whose mission will be to provide experienced blood bank personnel to travel throughout China to help train blood center employees in the latest techniques and technologies;

• Initially develop and operate two model safe blood centers that meet international blood banking standards. These first two centers will produce quality blood and blood products and will be a model for other centers throughout China;

• Establish a team to meet with regional blood banks within China to evaluate their operation and institute a plan to establish proper staffing levels, improve technical skills, improve donor testing capabilities and capacities, acquire equipment, blood bank software and supplies and improve quality control;

• Help regional blood centers locate funds and implement the safe blood program.