An evaluation of the prevalence and causes of blood donor deferral in Lagos state, Nigeria

Blood transfusion safety relies on thorough donor eligibility assessments that lead to the deferral of individuals who do not meet established criteria. This study aimed to evaluate the rates and reasons for blood donor deferral in Lagos. A five-year retrospective analysis of donor records from January 2017 to December 2021 was conducted at two tertiary and one secondary blood transfusion service centres in Lagos. Statistical analyses assessed the causes of deferral across sex and age categories. Among 47,473 registered donors, 11,484 (24.2%) were deferred, with females experiencing a significantly higher deferral rate (37.4%, p < 0.0001) than males (19.2%). Temporary deferrals were predominant (82.3%), with low haemoglobin (20.9% of females and 4.1% of males) as the leading cause. Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection was the most frequent reason for permanent deferral, affecting 3.5% of males and 0.3% of females. Age distribution analysis revealed the highest deferral rate in the 16–25 age group (26.1%). Nearly a quarter of potential donors were deferred. This high deferral rate contributes to blood shortages. Public health initiatives that target anaemia, nutritional deficiencies, and HBV infection, along with enhanced donor education and follow-up programmes, are crucial for increasing the number of eligible donors.