After three years of discussion and negotiations, the Africa Society for Blood Transfusion (AfSBT) was formally constituted in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire on December 9, 1997 during the Tenth International Conference on AIDS and STD. The mission and objectives of the Society, focusing on the needs of Africa, are to pursue, promote and maintain the highest level of ethical and professional standards; contribute to the advancement of knowledge; offer opportunities for the discussion and presentation of research and development; exchange of information; act as a resource centre accessible to individual blood transfusion services or national governments; encourage regional collaborative programmes to deal with issues such as manpower development, donor recruitment, blood safety.
