Obstacles to Blood Donation and the Prevalence of Sickle Cell Trait at the Bafoussam Regional Hospital Blood Bank, West - Cameroon

Healthy blood transfusion contributes to saving millions of lives each year, while improving the life expectancy and quality of life of patients with life-threatening diseases and other conditions.The present study aimed to determine the characteristics, attitude of blood donors and the prevalence of sickle cell trait at the Bafoussam Regional Hospital Blood Bank (BRHBB).This was a quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study, conducted over a period of one month and including a total of 185 blood donors received at BSHRB.A structured questionnaire was used to assess the participants' characteristics and attitudes towards blood donation.After measurement of blood pressure, pulse, weight, height and haemoglobin level, a sample of approximately 4 mL of blood was collected and used for blood grouping and haemoglobin electrophoresis assay for sickle cell trait determination.Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25 software.Participants aged between 21 and 39 years were the most represented age group with a frequency of 48.1%.85.9% of the study population were male.Potential donors reported for high systolic or diastolic blood pressure represented 35.8% of the study population.More than half (55.7%) were overweight or obese.Only 8.1% of blood donations were voluntary.70.8% of donors had 1 to 3 sexual partners.Rhesus D positive O and A phenotypes were the most frequent with proportions of 53.0% and 23.8% respectively.Sickle cell trait was found in 14.6% of the donor population.There is a need to intensify the education of the population on voluntary blood donation, the retention of replacement family donors and the systematic screening of sickle cell trait before blood donation in all hospital blood banks and blood transfusion centres.This will ensure the availability of more healthy blood products and a safer transfusion in Cameroon.