In a bold stride toward transforming its healthcare delivery, the Lagos State Government has launched the HaemoCentral Blood Inventory Management System (BIMS) alongside the official website of the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee (LSBTC). The unveiling, held on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at the Providence by Mantis Hotel in Ikeja GRA, marks a significant milestone in the state’s drive to modernize and secure blood transfusion services through digital innovation.
HaemoCentral, developed by the LSBTC, is a digital platform that streamlines the entire blood transfusion value chain from donor registration, screening, and barcoding to inventory tracking, cross-matching, quality control, and haemovigilance. The system ensures real-time tracking and equitable allocation of blood, effectively replacing manual processes that have long plagued blood services with inefficiencies and safety concerns.
According to Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, Director of Public Affairs at the Ministry of Health, the initiative aligns with the T.H.E.M.E.S Plus Agenda and the Lagos State Development Plan 2052, both of which emphasize people-centered innovation and technology-driven governance. Key features of HaemoCentral include barcode labelling for traceability, donor appointment booking, secure data access based on roles, and integration with the Lagos Smart Health Information Platform (SHIP).
Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, described the initiative as long overdue and rooted in both personal and professional experiences. She recounted past incidents of transfusion-linked fatalities due to the absence of proper protocols and highlighted how this platform will restore public confidence in the state’s healthcare system.
“This is not just about software. It’s about saving lives,” Ogunyemi said. “We are digitizing the entire blood ecosystem to ensure safety, transparency, and accountability.”
She also emphasized data privacy compliance, announcing that the system had undergone a full Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) to meet Nigeria’s regulatory standards. She described the HaemoCentral platform as a technological solution with a policy-aligned backbone that will transform health outcomes long-term.
In addition, the LSBTC’s newly launched website will serve as a hub for public engagement, donor education, and professional collaboration. Dr. Ogunyemi urged health professionals, civil society groups, and the general public to promote voluntary blood donation as a critical civic act.
Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, called the HaemoCentral launch a defining moment in Lagos’ health digitization journey. He emphasized that integrating the system with SHIP enables real-time data synchronization between public and private blood banks, ensuring more efficient operations and policy decisions.
“This is not just a platform, it’s a legacy,” Ogboye stated, while also commending the dedication of the LSBTC, the Digital Diagnostics team, and other partners who contributed to the system’s development.
Executive Secretary of the LSBTC, Dr. Bodunrin Osikomaiya, described the launch as a pivotal shift toward transparency, accountability, and life-saving precision. She noted that the HaemoCentral system sets a new standard for blood management in Nigeria and represents a vital move toward a safer, smarter health system.
The launch of HaemoCentral and the LSBTC website signals Lagos State’s firm commitment to leveraging digital tools for public health transformation, reducing preventable deaths, and building a future-ready healthcare system.
