The South African Tissue Bank Association (SATiBA) is a not-for-profit organization that aims to support all South African tissue banks in regulatory and legal matters, data collection, training, accreditation, quality assurance, communication and collaboration, and more.
2019 Conference and AGM Feedback
“I am delighted to inform you that as the recognized lobbying group for tissue banking, particularly as far as regulatory and training matters are concerned, SATiBA has become an integral part of the organ and tissue transplantation and tissue banking landscapes.“
– Prof Michael Pepper, President
At the outset, I would like to thank my fellow board members for their tireless efforts and dedication to SATiBA and its objectives.
SATiBA is registered as a not-for-profit company, and I wish to draw your attention to the fact that the members of the board render their services without being remunerated. I would also like to thank Antonia Papadopoulos for preparing the agenda and minutes for our board meetings.
As previously agreed, SATiBA will hold a conference and workshop on alternate years. This year we hosted a joint conference with the South African Transplant Society (SATS) in Gordon’s Bay. In 2020, we will be hosting an international meeting on behalf of the World Union of Tissue Banking Associations (WUTBA) in the Western Cape. In 2021 it is envisaged that we will again hold a joint meeting with SATS, this time in Gauteng.
WUTBA Membership
SATiBA is an Observer Member of the World Union of Tissue Banking Association
On 02 February 2018, SATiBA was officially included as an observer member of WUTBA.SATiBA has participated in most of the WUTBA activities since. Prof Michael Pepper is part of their Global Tissue Banking Registry working group and Sandra Venter is part of the WUTBA Ethics Working group. WUTBA has agreed to support the work of ISBT 128 (ICCBBA), in particular of its International Tissue Advisory Group (ITTAG), in its effort of harmonize tissue product label format (and content) wherever possible. Cleo Ndhlovu is a member of ITTAG.
EATCB Membership
SATiBA is a Sister Association of the European Association of Tissue and Cell Banks
Following our application to the European Association of Tissue and Cell Banks (EACTB), SATiBA was officially informed on 3 May 2019 that we have been accepted as a sister association. Following a discussion with the EATCB and subsequently the SATiBA Board, some changes may need to be introduced into the SATiBA code of conduct in order to comply fully with the EATCB standards for membership.
Global Data Collection
South African Eye banks will submit data to SATiBA, for de-identifying
and submission to GAEBA annually, on their behalf.
SATiBA has been approached by the Global Alliance of Eye Bank Associations (GAEBA) to participate in a long term data collection project to capture annual data on corneal transplants, corneal donations and tissue movement across countries. South African Eye banks were requested to submit their data to SATiBA, and the association will de-identify and submit data to GAEBA annually on their behalf. SATiBA intends to work with the local Ophthalmic Society in an effort to collect data around the number of imported corneas utilised in transplant procedures taking place country-wide.
2019 Congress with the South African Transplant Society (SATS)
SATS and SATiBA ran a very successful conference in Gordon’s Bay this year which included both plenary and parallel sessions. Sandra Venter, who is both the SATiBA vice president and the newly elected SATS Secretary, was responsible for much of the work done to ensure a successful joint conference. Our sincere thanks to Sandra for all her efforts.
2020 World Congress
At the WUTBA meeting on 29 August 2018, SATiBA’s proposal to host the 2020 international meeting on behalf of WUTBA was accepted. Now that the SATS-SATiBA conference is over, attention will be focused on preparing for the 2020 WUTBA conference. This includes finalizing the date and venue, securing sponsors, informing overseas participants and establishing the program.
NRF Intern 2019
SATiBA successfully secured an NRF intern position for Ms Philile Ngcamphalala who is working under the supervision of Prof Michael Pepper at the University of Pretoria. She holds a Masters degree in veterinary parasitology and is passionate about helping others.
Her first task has been to perform an audit of African tissue banks as a first step towards the much anticipated 2020 WUTBA meeting. Philile successfully presented her findings at the SATS SATiBA 2019 congress.
Philile is also compiling an exhaustive list of publications on organ and tissue donation in South Africa, which will be used for drafting one or more manuscripts on the topic of tissue donation in South Africa (and the rest of the continent). She will also assist with projects that SATiBA is running aimed at increasing tissue donation in the Western Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal. Finally, Philile will assist Prof Pepper with the drafting of a policy document for tissue banking in South Africa, which will be done together with SATS.
Workshops for 2019
The 2019 SATiBA workshops were organized by Cleopatra Ndhlovu. All the workshops were aimed at establishing draft standards for the different sectors of tissue banking. A workshop regarding the testing for communicable diseases was held 9 July 2019 with Lancet Laboratories, and all SATiBA members were invited to participate. The speakers were specialists in the fields of serology, microbiology and histology.
Establishment of a Newsletter
The Newsletter continues to be a success and we have had full 2 editions in the last year.
Policy and Standards
Based on the recognition that the South African legislation does not adequately cover tissue banking requirements, SATiBA in collaboration with SATS will initiate a policy drafting project for organ transplantation and tissue banking.
In addition, SATiBA has embarked on an extensive standards drafting programme. Cleo Ndhlovu has been driving this process and draft guidelines have been prepared for all tissues banked by SATiBA’s members. Work is also underway with SASREG to draft guidelines for gamete banking. In the absence of formal adoption of these documents by the National Department of Health (NDoH), SATiBA has embarked on a process of self-regulation. It is our intention to present this work once completed to the NDoH and to assist the Government in the adoption of policy, regulations and guidelines as they pertain to tissue banking.
Projects
Several projects are underway in SATiBA or are being conducted in collaboration with other organizations/entities:
Working with the Western Cape government as a pilot project for other state entities to increase tissue donation (Sandra Venter)
Methods to increase tissue donation in KZN (Yvonne Cordner)
Medical devices and human tissues (Cleo Ndlovu and others)
Biomedical Scientist & Tissue Retrieval Technician registration with the HPCSA (Charlotte Ingram)
Sector Analysis project to identify the challenges faced by the human tissue sector and map key interventions to strengthen the sector through stakeholder engagement (Michael Pepper)
In closing, I would like once again to acknowledge the immense contributions of my fellow board members to the successful running of SATiBA. I have no doubt that SATiBA will go from strength to strength and that the year that lies ahead will be an exciting and productive one.
Michael S Pepper
President and Chairman of the Board
10 September 2019
Reflecting on Conference and AGM 2019 moments.
Readers are invited to check back on our website where more photos and feedback on presentations will soon be added.Visit https://www.satiba.org.za
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