[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 86 (Wednesday, June 28, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1304-E1305]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 MAKING SAFE BLOOD AVAILABLE IN AFRICA

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 28, 2006

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I chaired a hearing 
to examine the important issue of the availability of safe blood

[[Page E1305]]

within the medical systems of sub-Saharan Africa.
  My extensive travels to Africa have included visits to HIV/AIDS 
clinics and other health care facilities, and I have long been 
concerned about global health issues including HIV/AIDS, malaria, and 
maternal health. It is disturbing, to say the least, to visit district 
hospitals in remote areas of Africa that have only one or two pints of 
blood in their refrigerator and to see rooms filled with expectant 
mothers and emaciated children experiencing an emergency.
  One also has to experience a long drive on the narrow sub-Saharan 
two-lane highways to appreciate the significant danger of serious road 
accidents and the resulting need for blood to save the injured. One 
dodges past overloaded trucks broken down in the middle of the road and 
passes within feet of adults and children walking on the road's edge, 
intermingled with goats and other livestock. The increased dangers and 
health crises in Africa call for increased means to address them, 
including adequate and safe supplies of blood.
  A medical benefit related to safe blood that I have long promoted is 
umbilical cord-blood stem cells. On December 20, 2005, the Stem Cell 
Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005, which I sponsored, was signed 
into law. This law provides $265 million for life saving stem cell 
therapy, cord blood and bone marrow transplant. Today, in America, 
umbilical cord blood stem cells and adult stem cells are curing people 
of a myriad of terrible conditions and diseases.
  One of my greatest hopes is that these current-day miracles will 
become common medical practice and available to tens of thousands of I 
patients, including one day to the peoples of sub-Saharan Africa. This 
hope is inspired by people who have overcome incredible odds thanks to 
cord blood stem cells transplants, like Keone Penn who was born with 
severe sickle cell anemia. Sickle cell anemia afflicts more than 70,000 
Americans and a disproportionate number of African-Americans. It is 
also a serious problem in Africa. According to a WHO report on sickle 
cell anemia, over 200,000 infants are born each year with sickle cell 
disease in Africa.

  After years of suffering, when no other treatments worked, Keone's 
doctors decided as a measure of last resort to perform a transplant 
with cord blood from an unrelated donor. This was the first time such a 
transplant had been tried for sickle cell disease, and it proved 
successful. One year after the transplant, Keone's doctors pronounced 
him cured.
  Cord blood stem cells hold enormous promise, and have already been 
used to treat thousands of patients of more than 67 diseases. This 
potential should not be limited to the developed world, but should also 
be explored for the benefit of the peoples in Africa and around the 
world.
  My good friend and colleague Congressman Chakah Fattah knows of my 
interest in health issues in Africa, and shares my related interest in 
cord blood stem cell research and medical treatments. Therefore, I was 
happy to take up his suggestion that the Sub-committee on Africa, 
Global Human Rights and International Operations conduct a hearing on 
the availability of safe blood transfusions in Africa.
  In its recent report for FY 2007, the House Appropriations Committee 
expressed its continued concern about the existence of unsafe blood as 
a source of HIV infection in the developing world. The report notes 
that contaminated blood is of particular concern for women who require 
a blood transfusion to address complications from pregnancy and 
childbirth and for children whose lives are threatened by anemia.
  Based on these concerns, the Committee requested that the Office of 
the Global AIDS Coordinator, together with the Agency for International 
Development, the Department of Health and Human Services and other 
relevant parties, develop a comprehensive multi-year strategy for the 
PEPFAR focus countries. The strategy should aim at achieving a 
sufficient supply of blood for each country's needs, the recruitment of 
voluntary, non-remunerated blood donors, universal testing of donated 
blood for infectious diseases, and the reduction of unnecessary 
transfusions. A separate strategy is requested for non-focus countries 
that would provide for the standardized operation and control of blood 
collection, adequate training, documentation and assessment measures.
  The hearing provided the opportunity to examine the extent of the 
current need in sub-Saharan Africa for an adequate and safe supply of 
blood. We heard from our distinguished witnesses about the challenges 
as well as the opportunities that this region faces in providing this 
essential medical service. We also learned about what we need to do to 
overcome the difficulties and the best means to accomplish our common 
goal: a safe and adequate supply of blood to meet the needs of the 
people of Africa.

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