Africa Society for Blood Transfusion (AfSBT)
AfSBT is a self-sustaining society existing since 1997, mandated to advocate for the
highest ethical and professional standards and skills in blood transfusion across the
African continent.
AfSBT is the only organization that has been approved by African member states to
operate an accreditation system, specifically for Africa's blood transfusion services.
The society and its activities are well recognized by WHO-Afro, the African Society
of Laboratory Medicine (ASLM) and Africa CDC.
AfSBT (Cont’d)
What do we offer?
Developing and supporting the implementation of the
AfSBT Step-wise Accreditation Programme
(SWAP) that goes to AfSBT since 2009.
AfSBT SWAP is now being recognized globally as a
comprehensive, up to standard, yet applicable and
effective programme for maintaining and enhancing
the quality and safety of blood transfusion in Africa
and beyond.
AfSBT (Cont’d)
What do we offer?
Developing and making available in Africa, the AfSBT Education and Training
Programme that is appropriate for the practice of blood transfusion at international
standard; courses are based on distance learning and e-learning technology and
complement the AfSBT Step-wise Accreditation Programme.
Advocating improved blood programmes in African countries, to national
authorities, international organizations, and other support groups.
Organizing AfSBT conferences (International and Regional).
The Ten Nonprofit Funding Models
Stanford Social Innovation Review. By William Landes Foster, Peter Kim, & Barbara Christiansen, 2009
https://ssir.org/articles/entry/ten_nonprofit_funding_models#
1-Heartfelt Connector
2-Beneficiary Builder
3-Member Motivator
4-Big Bettor
5-Public Provider 10-Local Nationalizer
9-Market Maker
8-Resource Recycler
7-Beneficiary Broker
6-Policy Innovator
How do NGOs get funding?
NGOs rely on a variety of sources for funding projects, operations,
salaries and other overhead costs.
Funding sources comes from:
• Government
• Services fees
• Corporate
• Individuals
• Foundations
Funding models- the myth of diversification
Many leaders of aspiring nonprofits state that their No. 1 funding
objective is diversification. It seems sensible.
When government funding stalls, why not try to raise money from
individual donations?
When corporate money dries up, why not try to replace it with
foundation grants? And isn’t having a wide array of funding sources a
good way to mitigate the risk of losing any single source of money?
The myth of diversification (Cont’d)
Diversification may seem like a good idea, but in
practice most of the organizations that have gotten
really big over the past three decades did so by
concentrating on one type of funding source, not
by diversifying across several sources of funding.
Bridgespan* obtained solid financial data for 110 of the high-growth nonprofits and
it was found that roughly 90 percent had a single dominant source of funding – such
as government, individual donations, or corporate gifts. And on average, that
dominant funding source accounted for just over 90 percent of the organization’s
total funding.
*The Bridgespan Group is a nonprofit applying management strategies, tools, and talent to help other nonprofits and
foundations achieve greater social impact.
AfSBT Revenue Generators
• Fees for service provided:
• Accreditation programme
• Education and training courses
• Congresses (international and regional congresses)
• Membership - go beyond individual membership and include corporate,
affiliate/associate
• Advertising (publications)
• Grant funding (collaboration and partnerships)
Partnerships and collaborations
Partnerships and collaboration are
strategic alliances between nonprofits
that are intended to achieve greater
impact than any organization could
generate on its own. These alliances
exist along a broad spectrum of
approaches, ranging from less
integrated associations and coalitions
to more highly integrated joint
programming, shared services, and
legal mergers.
Different spectrum of collaborations (Cont’d)
AfSBT Case studies
African Society for Laboratory Medicine ASLM
Initial contact with ASLM was facilitated by CDC.
The objective was to inform ASLM of the AfSBT
Step-Wise Accreditation Programme; to identify
ways in which ASLM could assist AfSBT at
country level for Ministries of Health to
embrace the AfSBT Accreditation Programme as
complementary to the SLMTA process (Stepwise
Laboratory Quality Improvement Process
Towards Accreditation).
American Association of Blood Banks AABB
An MoU exists between the AfSBT and AABB,
which has been supported by CDC to continue
to provide Technical Assistance to AfSBT. The
support is focused on policy development and
providing Lead Assessors during AfSBT
Accreditation assessments.
Different spectrum of collaborations (Cont’d)
AfSBT Case studies
International Plasma Fractionation Association IPFA
The statement to the Expert Committee on Biological
Standardization, was to seek support by the World
Health Organization for the AfSBT SWAP. The
statement also requested WHO support for
strengthening regulations governing plasma derived
medicinal products (PDMP) so that plasma products
produced by transfusion services could strive to meet
the quality requirements of plasma fractionators. This
would in turn reduce wasting excess blood plasma and
increase access to PDMP.
.
World Health Organization WHO
WHO support for AfSBT and the Step-Wise
Accreditation Programme. A directive has
since been written by WHO, to all
Ministries of Health in African member
countries advocating for them to support
this programme.
Different spectrum of collaborations
AfSBT Case studies
Center for disease Control and Prevention CDC
• To reduce the risk for TTIs in sub-Saharan Africa (14 PEPFAR-supported countries).
• When PEPFAR support ends, MOHs are encouraged to participate in cross-sector collaborations to
implement blood bank quality and safety accreditation standards through the AfSBT SWAP or
other international accrediting bodies.
• Under this project, only 3 NBTSs in sub-Saharan Africa (Namibia, Rwanda, and Tanzania) have
achieved accreditation. Seven countries are currently in various stages of the accreditation
process through AfSBT.
• Accreditation: Six countries, four supported by CDC funding, two supported by NBI funding.
Different spectrum of collaborations
AfSBT Case studies
International Society of Blood Transfusion ISBT
• ISBT is a scientific society founded in 1935
• Providing access to AfSBT members to the ISBT ePortal.
• Financing an ISBT academy day on each International AfSBT International congress
• Co-host education and training meetings at AfSBT international congresses
• Facilitate a session for African delegates at ISBT international congresses
Different spectrum of collaborations (Cont’d)
AfSBT Case studies
MoH Rwanda
AfSBT collaborating center
Different spectrum of collaborations (Cont’d)
AfSBT Case studies
Post-School Donor Club (PSDC)
(a revenue sharing arrangement )
GBF and AfSBT share a similar mission; working to
improve the sufficiency and safety of blood in Africa.
Each organisation has the capacity and knowledge to
facilitate and share resources that will promote the
development of human resources capacity resulting
in the strengthening of the practice of blood
transfusion. Each of the Societies agrees in principle
to utilise their respective strengths and resources to
pursue the following mutual interests:
• The promotion of blood donor recruitment
• The promotion of safe blood transfusion practices
UNLOCKING THE
POTENTIAL FOR
BLOOD ADEQUACY
IN AFRICA
Pledge
25 Club
FOR POST-SCHOOL
BLOOD DONORS
Supported By
Endorsed By
AfSBT Conferences
AfSBT holds an international congress every two years in a
different African country.
The congress brings together world experts in blood
transfusion, policymakers and other key stakeholders who
all have a role to play in the field of transfusion medicine
and science.
The Congress is funded by income from registrations of
delegates and sponsorships from partners and commercial
companies.
AfSBT congresses in figures:
• 350-400 delegates
• 10 sponsors
• 25 exhibitors
• 6 satellite symposia
1999 Durban, South Africa
2002 Tunis, Tunisia
2004 Lagos, Nigeria
2006 Cape Town, South Africa
2009 Nairobi, Kenya
2012 Mauritius
2014 Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
2016 Kigali, Rwanda
2018 Arusha, Tanzania
2020 Dakar, Senegal
Sponsorships
• Identify potential sponsors by making a list of companies that offer products or services related to
the subject of the conference (including government organizations, regulatory agencies and
nonprofits that deal with similar matters)
• Check if they have sponsored similar conferences or events in the past and that they have a
demonstrated interest in the market segments represented by the conference attendees.
• Prepare the sponsorship packages.
• Create a strong sponsorship pitch that sells your event.
• Get the contact information for the person or department responsible for making the decision.
• Prepare a detailed analysis of the expected attendees at the conference. Write down the numbers
of the different groups of attendees you expect, such as presenters, company employees or the
general public. Add any demographic, work or other information that you know, but make sure
the information is anonymous without identifiable private information.
Ethical MedTech- Conference Vetting System (CVS)
• The MedTech Europe Code of Ethical Business Practice
• The MedTech Europe Code of Ethical Business Practice regulates all aspects of the
industry’s relationship with Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) and Healthcare
Organisations (HCOs), such as company-organised events, arrangements with
consultants,research and financial support to medical education, amongst others.
It also introduces an independent enforcement mechanism.
• The MedTech Europe Code of Ethical Business Practice became binding for
MedTech Europe corporate members on 1st January 2017.
Ethical MedTech- Conference Vetting System
(CVS)
• The Event Programme
• The Geographic Location
• Event Venue Facility
• Hospitality
• Event Registration Packages
• Communication Support
Challenges AfSBT faced with Ethical MedTech
Compliance
• The Geographic Location
• Event Venue Facility
• Communication Support
Challenges Finding Sponsors
“Push Sponsorship”
Remember that it is okay to be aggressive in selling your event J.
In reality, it’s important to continue to push sponsorship because many
times they see the email but don’t think anything of it. If you hold
conference sponsorship meetings and present the value of their
sponsorship many of the companies will begin to see why you were so
interested in the first place.
Give them ideas on how they can connect to your event creatively to
sell their product and bring value to your event. This all goes back to
creating a unique sponsorship pitch that sells to that specific company.
Experiences/challenges from previous AfSBT
Conferences
• Considerable expensive
registration fees
• Expensive flights and
inconvenient routes
• Accommodation quality
Experiences/challenges from
previous AfSBT Conferences
(Cont’d)
• Local Organizing Committees
• Professional Congress Organizers
• Conference venues
• Exhibition (custom clearance of
exhibition materials)