Blood Transfusion Practices and Adverse Transfusion Reactions at Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Kaduna State, North West Nigeria

This study evaluates blood transfusion practices and documents adverse transfusion reactions at Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Kaduna State, located in Nigeria's North West geopolitical zone. Safe blood transfusion is a critical component of hospital care, and monitoring transfusion-related adverse events is essential for haemovigilance and patient safety improvement. A retrospective review of transfusion records over a three-year period (2021 to 2023) was conducted, extracting data on indications for transfusion, blood products used, pre-transfusion compatibility testing, and documented adverse reactions. A total of 2,450 transfusion episodes were reviewed. The most common indications were severe anaemia in obstetric cases (38%), sickle cell disease crises (27%), and surgical haemorrhage (18%). Whole blood was used in 61 percent of episodes, reflecting limited component therapy availability. Adverse transfusion reactions were documented in 4.2 percent of episodes, with febrile non-haemolytic transfusion reactions being most frequent (62% of reactions), followed by allergic reactions (23%) and transfusion-associated circulatory overload (11%). Pre-transfusion compatibility testing was performed in 89 percent of cases, with incomplete documentation in the remaining records. The study identifies gaps in haemovigilance reporting culture, component therapy availability, and nursing competency in transfusion monitoring. Structured haemovigilance training, component separation capacity expansion, and mandatory adverse reaction reporting protocols are recommended for Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital. Keywords: blood transfusion, adverse reactions, haemovigilance, Kaduna, transfusion safety.