The Federal Government has begun developing a national plan to harmonise the cost of blood across hospitals in Nigeria to ensure fairness, transparency, and affordability for patients in need of transfusions.
The initiative, spearheaded by the National Blood Service Agency (NBSA), follows widespread public complaints over the high and inconsistent fees charged by health facilities across the country.
Speaking at a workshop for Hospital Transfusion Committee (HTC) members in Abuja, the Director General of the NBSA, Prof. Saleh Yuguda, said the move became necessary in response to the “public outcry over the high and inconsistent charges placed on blood by hospitals nationwide.”
He noted that many patients have been subjected to undue financial burdens, with some reportedly paying for blood that was never used. Yuguda emphasised that the harmonisation plan aims to ensure a transparent and accountable system that prioritises patients’ welfare and equity in access to safe blood.
