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Endorsing the Santa Cruz Declaration: Strengthening Patient Blood Management Globally

WFSA’s Member Societies, Regional Sections and partners work together to strengthen Patient Blood Management policies and practices worldwide.

Patient blood management addresses the problems of anaemia, blood loss and coagulopathy. It is a patient-centred, systematic, evidence-based approach to improve patient outcomes by managing a patient’s own blood through diagnosis and aetiology-specific treatment of anaemia and preserving the patient’s own blood by minimizing blood loss and bleeding while promoting patient safety and empowerment (WHO, 2021).

As well as improving patient outcomes analysis shows that it is a cost-effective resource efficient process that reduces dependency on risky and complicated transfusions.

The overarching aim of PBM is to improve patient outcomes while saving healthcare resources and reducing costs. In 2010, PBM was endorsed by the World Health Assembly Resolution WHA63.12.

A universal approach to PBM

Over the past year, WFSA has been leading innovative work in the field of PBM. A milestone event came in October 2022, when our Member Societies in Latin America signed the Santa Cruz Declaration. The declaration highlights the debilitating impact of iron deficiency, anaemia, bleeding, and coagulation disorders on both national public health services and the communities they serve.

In response, the declaration signatories call for the implementation of the Patient Blood Management principles in the perioperative period, through its three fundamental pillars:

  • Detection and management of anaemia and iron deficiency
  • Minimisation of blood loss and optimisation of coagulation
  • Improvement and optimisation of physiological tolerance to anaemia

The declaration calls for stakeholders including professional bodies and national governments to create and implement a standardized, sustainable, systematic, multidisciplinary and multi-professional policy aimed at preserving the patient’s own blood.

Download the Santa Cruz Declaration

To build the momentum behind this movement WFSA is inviting Member Societies to endorse the Declaration by signing and sending us a letter of support. An editable letter of support is available for download.

Download a letter of endorsement template

This endorsement process will culminate at WCA 2024 with a launch ceremony and a formal handover of letters of support to the new WFSA President.

Declaration endorsements

Listed below are the member societies and partners who have endorsed the Santa Cruz Declaration by submitting a letter of support. To join the below list please send your letter of support to lauren.hyland@wfsahq.org

CountryMember Society
ALBANIAAlbanian Society of Anaesthesiologists and Intensivists (ASAI)
ARGENTINAFederación Argentina de Asociaciones de Anestesia, Analgesia y Reanimación
AUSTRALIAAustralian Society of Anaesthetists
BENINSociete Des Medecins Anesthesistes Reanimateurs Du Benin (SMARB)
BOLIVIA Sociedad Boliviana de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Dolor
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINAAssociation of Anesthesiologists and Reanimathologists in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina 
BRAZIL Sociedade Brasileira de Anestesiologia
BULGARIA Bulgarian Society of Anaesthesiologists
BURKINA FASOSociété d’Anesthésie, de réanimation et de Médecine d’Urgence du Burkina (SARMUB)
CANADACanadian Anesthesiologists’ Society
CHILE Sociedad de Anestesiología de Chile
CHINAChinese Society of Anaesthesiology
COLOMBIA Sociedad Colombiana de Anestesiología y Reanimación
CONGO – BRAZZAVILLERepublic of Congo – Brazzaville – SOCARU – Société Congolaise d’Anesthésie Réanimation Urgences
CONGO – DRCDemocratic Republic of Congo – Kinshasa – SARDC – Société d’Anesthésie – Réanimation de la République Démocratique du Congo
COSTA RICA Asociación de Médicos Anestesiólogos de Costa Rica
COTE D’IVOIRESociété Ivoirienne d’Anesthésie-Réanimation
CROATIA Croatian Association of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine
CUBASociedad Cubana de Anestesiología y Reanimación
CZECH REPUBLICCzech Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Sociedad Dominicana de Anestesiología
ECUADOR Sociedad Ecuatoriana de Anestesiología
EGYPTEgyptian Society of Anaesthesiologists
EL SALVADOR Asociación de Médicos Anestesiólogos de El Salvador
ETHIOPIAEthiopian Society of Anaesthesiologists
FIJIPacific Society of Anaesthetists
GEORGIAGeorgian Society of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care
GERMANYDeutsche Gesellschaft für Anaesthesiologie und Intensivmedizin e.V.
GHANAGhana Anaesthesiologists Society
GREECEHellenic Society of Anaesthesiology (HSA)
GUATEMALAAsociación Guatemalteca de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Tratamiento del Dolor
HONDURAS Sociedad Hondureňa de Anestesiología, Reanimacíon y Dolor
HONG KONGSociety of Anaesthetists of Hong Kong
HUNGARY Hungarian Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy
INDIAIndian Society of Anaesthesiologists
IRANIranian Society of Anaesthesiologists and Critical Care
IRAQIraqi Society for Anesthesia, Intensive Care & Pain Medicine
ITALY Società Italiana di Anestesia Analgesia Rianimazione e Terapia Intensiva
JAPANJapanese Society of Anesthesiologists
KOSOVOKosovo Society of Anaesthesiologists and Intensivists (KSAI)
LATVIA Association of Anaesthesiologists-Reanimatologists of Latvia
LEBANONLebanese Society of Anesthesiologists 
LIBYIALibyan Society of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Resuscitation
MALAYSIA Malaysian Society of Anaesthesiologists
MALISociété d’Anesthésie-Réanimation et Médecine d’urgence du Mali (SARMU/Mali)
MALTAAssociation of Anaesthesiologists of Malta
MAURITANIAMauritanian Society of Anesthesia
MEXICO Federacion Mexicana de Colegios de Anestesiologia A.C.
MOLDOVASociety of Anaesthesiology and Reanimatology of the Republic of Moldova
MONGOLIAMongolian Society of Anesthesiologists
MOROCCOMoroccan Society of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Critical Care (SMAAR)
MYANMARMyanmar Society of Anaesthesiologists
NEPALSociety of Anaesthesiologists of Nepal (SAN)
NICARAGUA Asociación Nicaraguense de Anestesiología y Reanimación (ANARE)
NIGERSocieté Nigerienne d’Anesthésie, de Réanimation et de Médecine d’Urgence
NIGERIANigerian Society of Anaesthetists
NORWAYNorwegian Association of Anaesthesiologists (NAF)
NORTH MACEDONIAMacedonia Society of Anaesthesiologists
NEW ZEALANDNew Zealand Society of Anaesthetists
PAKISTANPakistan Society of Anaesthesiologists
PANAMASociedad Panameña de Anestesiología
PAPUA NEW GUINEA Society of Anaesthetists of Papua New Guinea
PARAGUAY Sociedad Paraguaya de Anestesiología
PERU Sociedad Peruana de Anestesia, Analgesia y Reanimación
PHILIPPINES Philippine Society of Anaesthesiologists
PORTUGALSociedade Portuguesa de Anestesiologia
ROMANIARomanian Society of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care
RUSSIA Russian Federation of Anaesthesiologists and Reanimatologists
SENEGALSocieté Sénégalaise d’Anesthésie-Réanimation et de Médicine d’Urgence
SIERRA LEONESierra Leone Society of Anaesthetists
SINGAPORESingapore Society of Anaesthesiologists (SSA)
SLOVAKIASlovak Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Medicine
SOUTH AFRICASouth African Society of Anaesthesiologists
SOUTH KOREAKorean Society of Anesthesiologists
SPAINSociedad Española de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapéutica del Dolor (SEDAR)
SRI LANKACollege of Anaesthesiologists and Intensivists of Sri Lanka
SRPSKA (REPUBLIC OF)Association of Anesthesiologist, Reanimatologist and Intensivist
SWITZERLANDSchweizerische Gesellschaft für Anästhesiologie und Reanimation
TANZANIASociety of Anaesthesiologists of Tanzania
THAILANDRoyal College of Anesthesiologists of Thailand
TUNISIASocieté Tunisienne d’Anesthésie et de Réanimation (STAAR)
TURKEY Turkish Anaesthesiology and Reanimation Society
UKRAINEUkrainian Society of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care
UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELANDAssociation of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland
UNITED STATES OF AMERICAAmerican Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA)
UGANDAAssociation of Anesthesiologists of Uganda (AAU)
URUGUAY Sociedad de Anestesiología del Uruguay
VENEZUELASociedad Venezolana de Anestesiología
ZAMBIASociety of Anaesthetists of Zambia (SAZ)
Regional Sections
ARSAfrican Regional Section
CLASAConfederation of Latin American Societies of Anaesthesiology
ESAICEuropean Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care
PAFSAPan Arab Federation of Societies of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Pain Management
SAARC-AASouth Asian Association for Regional Co-operation – Association of Anaesthesiologists
International Organisations
Critical Care Network Africa & Middle East
EUPSFEuropean Patient Safety Foundation (EUPSF)
Foundation for Health, Patient Safety and Patient Blood Management
GAfPAGlobal Alliance for Patient Access (GAfPA)
IFPBMInternational Foundation for Patient Blood Management (IFPBM)
Korean Society for Patient Blood Management (KPBM)
Lifebox
NATANetwork for the Advancement of Patient Blood Management, Haemostasis and Thrombosis (NATA)
SABMSociety for the Advancement of Patient Blood Management (SABM)
View the P-PBM photo gallery

PBM at WCA 2024

As well as the launch ceremony, PBM was a major component at WCA. We had a PBM-focused scientific session, two hands-on training sessions, as well as a range of PBM-related ‘pop-up’ talks and short masterclasses at the WFSA Hub in the Global Anaesthesia Village.

We were also delighted to unveil aspects of the new WFSA Perioperative PBM training programme. This includes a two-day facilitator course for anaesthesiologists only, followed by a one-day multidisciplinary course for wider clinical teams.

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