Prevalence and Temporal Trends of Transfusion‐Transmissible Infections Among Blood Donors in a Municipal Hospital in Navrongo, Ghana: A Retrospective Study (2018–2024)

ABSTRACT Background and Aim Blood transfusion is a vital and life‐saving procedure, saving millions of lives across the world every year. However, it also presents a significant risk of spreading transfusion‐transmissible infections (TTIs) such as hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and syphilis (Treponema pallidum). This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence and temporal trends of TTIs among blood donors at a primary healthcare hospital in the Upper East Region of Ghana. Methods A retrospective analysis of blood donation screening records from War Memorial Hospital, Navrongo, was conducted for the period January 2018 to December 2024. Data on HBV, HCV, HIV‐1/2, and syphilis were extracted and analysed using descriptive statistics to determine seroprevalence and temporal trends across demographic groups. Results A total of 5741 blood donation records were analysed, with males 98.1% of donors. The overall seroprevalence of TTIs was 18.2%. Individual seroprevalence rates for HBV, HCV, syphilis, and HIV‐1/2 infections were 10.1%, 6.5%, 2.1%, and 0.5%, respectively. A decline in both donor numbers and TTIs seroprevalence was observed during the peak COVID‐19 period (2020–2021), followed by a gradual recovery in donor numbers in 2022–2023. HBV seroprevalence decreased from 15.8% in 2018 to 7.1% in 2021. HCV seroprevalence was highest in 2023 (8.1%) and lowest in 2020 (5.1%). Syphilis seroprevalence showed a general downward trend with a temporal increase in 2022. Conclusion TTIs remain a public health concern for blood donations in the area, particularly HBV and HCV. Although declining trends were observed, the fluctuations highlight the need to strengthen screening protocols and improved criteria for donor selection. The low seroprevalence of HIV and syphilis is comforting but requires continued preventive efforts to maintain the progress.