Taking therapeutic apheresis services to patients in South Africa: An eight year review of SANBS mobile therapeutic apheresis service, 2013-2020.

A 20 year review of health and health care presents the multiple challenges faced by South Africans. Health and poverty is highlighted with 45% of population living on approximately US$ 2 per day and 10 million living on less than US$ 1 per day. Widening disparities in health care provision between public and private sector hospital services exist. The South African population includes the largest number of people living with HIV infection/AIDS of any country in the world, with a 70% estimate of 7.5 million people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy. The South African National Blood Service provides a mixed model therapeutic apheresis service including mobile service and fixed-site therapeutic apheresis and an apheresis collection of hematopoietic stem cell (HPC-A) service. Therapeutic apheresis modalities offered by SANBS include plasmapheresis, red cell exchange, leukocyte and platelet reduction. In addition, collection of plasma, thrombocytes, mononuclear cells including CD34+ cells (HPCs) and granulocytes by apheresis for plasma and cellular therapies, and customised apheresis products for research purposes is offered. An operational database for the period 2013 to 2020 was reviewed to characterise the SANBS's mixed therapeutic apheresis service and HPC-A service from 2013 to 2020 in terms of patient numbers, patient demographics, patient procedures, therapeutic apheresis indication or diagnosis, therapeutic apheresis modality, hospital service type, and the American Society for Apheresis (ASFA) category of diagnosis.