Speakers

Cees Th. Smit Sibinga

MD, Ph.D., FRCP Edin, F.R.C.P. Professor of International Development of Transfusion Medicine, Academic Institute IDTM, University of Groningen-NL Director, Sanquin and AABB Consulting Services, Director WHO Collaborating Centre Groningen Netherlands

He served as the director of the Regional Blood Bank Noord Nederland in Groningen for 25 years (1976-2001). The Blood Bank Noord Nederland has been the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Blood Transfusion and the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) International Hemophilia Training Center since 1993, and an International Consortium for Blood Safety (ICBS) Collaborating Centre since 2001.

From 2001 to 2004 Professor Dr Smit Sibinga was director of Sanquin Consulting Services, and from 2001 to 2010 director of the newly established Academic Institute for International Development of Transfusion Medicine (IDTM) in Groningen. The Institute is an initiative of the WHO Department of Blood Safety and Clinical Technology and the University of Groningen. Also, he became vice-president of the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) Consulting Services Division (2001-2006) focusing on development of quality management systems in developing countries who express a need, and served AABB as the senior medical advisor (2006-2010). Currently he serves the AABB Global Transfusion Forum in the capacity of chairman of the subcommittee on Education.

Professor Dr Smit Sibinga has been and still is active in many international functions, teaching and training positions in transfusion medicine and hemophilia care. He has been instrumental in numerous international development programmes, advising and guiding governments in national blood safety reform. He is the organiser of 28 annual International Symposia on Blood Transfusion in Groningen, and the author/editor of over 350 scientific publications and 37 books on transfusion medicine aspects. Professor Dr Smit Sibinga was the founding father of The European Society for Hemapheresis (1984) and a co-founder of the World Apheresis Association (1984).

Professor Dr Smit Sibinga is a fellow in transfusion medicine of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and the Royal College of Pathologists in London, UK. Currently he serves WHO as a member of the Expert Committee for Blood Transfusion and is involved in guidance and advice in the implementation of the WHO EMRO Strategic Framework for Blood Safety and Availability 2016-2025 and its priority interventions in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. He was the co-ordinator for the European Region of the WHO Quality Management Training courses.