An expert consultation meeting to develop a regional blood safety strategy was held from 18 to 20 June 2014 in Amman, Jordan. The regional strategy for blood safety and self sufficiency presents a brief overview of the major issues and challenges faced by countries with respect to their blood transfusion services and suggest ways of addressing these challenges and strengthening them.

The meeting objectives were to:

• provide a framework to assist Member States in implementation of the WHO strategy for blood safety;
• determine, the goal objectives and key strategic elements of the draft regional strategy;
• identify actions for each of the strategic elements and a draft roadmap for operationalisation;
• draft indicators for monitoring implementation of the strategic plan; and
• review, discuss and prepare a final draft of the regional strategy and share it with Member States.