Training of blood transfusion teams.

1. Training of the staff of Blood Transfusion Centres (BTC-s) and postgraduate teaching of clinicians represent a core problem in establishing an efficient National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS.) 2. The teaching programme should be adapted to the basic function of the BTS. 3. The training programme should give the staff theoretical basis and technical skill to ensure that the BTC can provide the region with whole blood, blood cell concentrates and plasma fractions of guaranteed biological activity. 4. It should demonstrate in practice the importance of a close contact between BTC-s and clinical units. 5. The lack of experts in developing countries is one of the most important limiting factor in the development of their NBTS. Since haematology and immunology overlap and intersect with blood transfusion, the best solution is to train physicians in blood transfusion, haematology and immunology in a combined specialist's training scheme. This type of training renders specialists who are not merely heads of "bottling factories", but who in addition to their high level work in blood transfusion will be well versed in two other specialties both indispensable in modern clinical diagnostics and therapy and in the fight against population diseases.