The South African National Blood Service (SANBS): A new member of the World Apheresis Association

The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) is a non-profit, vein-to-vein transfusion organisation serving approximately 56 million people across eight of South Africa's nine provinces. SANBS has evolved into one of the most comprehensive blood services on the African continent. Operating within a uniquely challenging epidemiological and socioeconomic milieu-characterised by the world's highest HIV prevalence among persons aged 15-49 years (approximately 19.1%) and a Gini coefficient of 0.63, reflecting extreme income inequality-SANBS has developed innovative service delivery models to ensure equitable access to safe blood products and advanced therapeutic interventions. The organisation's clinical apheresis programe, conducted by a multidisciplinary team of 25 specialists and supported by a Joint Task Force on Apheresis Education and Certification (JTFAEC)-certified nurses, performs more than 2700 procedures annually across modalities including therapeutic plasma exchange, red cell exchange, and leukapheresis. The haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) collection programme holds JACIE accreditation-the first such accreditation for a mobile, nationally distributed service in sub-Saharan Africa-supporting over 300 transplant patients per annum. SANBS is pleased to join the World Apheresis Association (WAA) and presents here an institutional overview of its structure, epidemiological context, clinical programes, and commitment to advancing transfusion medicine and apheresis science in Africa.