Lagos State has initiated HaemoCentral, a digital blood management platform expected to revolutionise the safety and efficacy of blood transfusions, as a bold step into the future of healthcare.
The system, described as “long overdue,” was officially unveiled on Tuesday at the Providence by Mantis Hotel, Ikeja, marking a new era for blood services in Nigeria’s largest city.
HaemoCentral: A game-changer for blood safety
HaemoCentral is not just another software; it’s a patient lifeline and a family safeguard. The platform digitises every step of the blood transfusion process, from donor registration and screening to inventory management and transfusion tracking.
“This system is long overdue; lives depend on it,” declared Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, during the launch event. She recalled how poor protocols in the past had led to unnecessary deaths, emphasising, “People think blood transfusion is like surgery. And it is because if it’s not done properly, the patient can die”.
The new system features real-time inventory tracking, donor appointment scheduling, barcode labelling for traceability, and secure, role-based data access. It integrates seamlessly with the Lagos Smart Health Information Platform (SHIP), ensuring every drop of blood is accounted for and available where it’s needed most.
Building trust and transparency in transfusion
Transparency and trust are at the heart of HaemoCentral’s mission. The platform automates the entire blood lifecycle, providing a digital chain of custody that eliminates manual errors and inventory mismanagement. “We are not just building systems. We are building trust. We are saving lives,” Dr. Ogunyemi stated, reflecting on her personal and professional encounters with transfusion complications.
Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee (LSBTC), Dr. Bodunrin Osikomaiya, called HaemoCentral a “declaration that Lagos will not wait for tragedy to transform.”
She highlighted that the system closes the gaps that have cost lives in the past, ensuring every blood unit is traceable and safe. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, described the launch as “a legacy of safety and efficiency,” noting that HaemoCentral enables real-time synchronisation across all blood banks, public and private.
Security and privacy were also prioritised, with a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) conducted to ensure compliance with Nigeria’s data laws. The revamped LSBTC website was launched alongside HaemoCentral, providing a platform to educate donors, engage the public, and foster collaboration within the healthcare community.
HaemoCentral’s arrival signals a fresh commitment to safer, smarter blood transfusions in Lagos, setting a new standard for digital health innovation in Nigeria.
