RBC upgrades plasma system to cut waste, meet export standards

Only about five percent of the blood plasma collected in Rwanda is used locally, with the rest discarded after reaching its expiry date despite government investments in testing and storage. To address this, the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) has upgraded its plasma system by installing new equipment, expanding storage capacity and modernising blood management procedures to improve safety, efficiency and utilisation. ALSO READ: Plasma exports set to start by year-end, says RBC The upgrades are intended to strengthen blood safety, improve handling processes and increase the volume of plasma available for both domestic use and export. According to Fabrice Ndicunguye, Quality Assurance and Accreditation Senior Officer at the National Centre for Blood Transfusion (NCBT), a division of RBC, the improvements began in April 2025 and now allow the centre to process between 200 and 250 litres of plasma per day. He said all testing and storage meet international quality standards. “All blood is tested immediately after collection to maintain quality and safety,” Ndicunguye said. He explained that the upgrades include new centrifuge machines, expanded plasma storage and a modern blood management system designed to ensure consistent quality and smooth operations. “Testing quality has been our main focus, and the National Centre for Blood Transfusion now operates four Alinity machines to screen donated blood for HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and syphilis,” he said. Ndicunguye added that blood is collected nationwide, including from military blood banks, ensuring a steady supply to sustain plasma production. ALSO READ: Rwanda focuses on acquiring new technology in preps for Plasma export To avoid disruptions in testing, RBC has also established a backup centre at Rwanda Military Referral and Teaching Hospital in Kanombe. “The centre has acquired essential storage equipment, including blast freezers for rapid freezing and large-capacity freezers for bulk storage,” he said. “The next step is procuring nucleic acid testing (NAT) equipment, which is critical to further enhance plasma safety before engaging fractionators.” RBC has also expanded its blood component separation capacity by adding four Archimede machines, bringing the total number of automatic extractors to ten. These machines separate whole blood into red blood cells, platelets and plasma. In addition, three Qwalys machines for automated blood grouping and compatibility testing are now operational nationwide, while the number of Thermo Scientific freezers has doubled from two to four. “Storage capacity has been expanded with four new plasma blast freezers—two at the main centre and two in Kanombe—to rapidly freeze plasma after processing,” Ndicunguye said. “Six deep freezers have also been added for long-term storage, allowing plasma to be preserved for up to two years.” He noted that acquiring such specialised equipment can take up to two years due to strict technical and regulatory requirements. On December 18, 2025, the centre received Step Three accreditation from the Africa Society for Blood Transfusion (AfSBT), certifying that it meets the technical and quality standards required for plasma export. “Expanded storage, upgraded testing systems and new standard operating procedures developed after study visits to Namibia have significantly improved plasma processing from collection to final storage,” Ndicunguye said.

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RBC upgrades plasma system to cut waste, meet export standards