Section 18: Offences and penalties.

1 A person who-
a without the supervision of a registered and trained medical or health practitioner collects or arranges to bleed a blood donor for the purpose of transfusion, or
b administers blood components to a patient without an order from a registered medical practitioner,

commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of at least N500,000.00 or imprisonment for a term of at least six months or both.

2 A person or group of persons who operates a blood bank commits an offence, if such a person or group of persons-
a processes blood for the purpose of obtaining blood products without the approval of the commission,
b fails to comply with the guidelines and standards issued by the Commission, or
c aids another person to commit any of the offences mentioned in this section,

and is liable on conviction to a fine of at least N500,000.00 or imprisonment for a term of at least six months or both.

3 A person who-
a transfuses blood not properly screened for Hepatitis B & C virus, HIV I and II, Syphilis and other transmissible agents as specified by the Commission,
b transfuses blood not typed for ABO and RH (D) factor,
c supplies for transfusion blood not screened except in life- threatening situation,
d labels blood or blood products in a manner as to mislead others about the status of the blood products,
e supplies expired blood for transfusion into a human being,
f bleeds a child, except for therapeutic purposes with parental consent, or
g engages in practices that can compromise blood safety,

commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of at least N1,000,000.00 or imprisonment for a term of at least one year or both.

4 A person who knowingly interferes with, tampers or obstructs in whatsoever manner, the proper donation, collection, screening, banking, processing, distribution, transfusion of blood and blood products, inspection of records and premises where blood is processed for transfusion commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of at least N500,000.00 or imprisonment for a term of at least six months or both.

5 A person who, for the purpose of procuring blood or blood products from the Blood Service Commission-
a makes a statement which he believes to be false in a material particular, or
b recklessly makes a statement, which is false in a material particular,

commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of at least N500,000.00 or imprisonment for a term of at least six months or both.

6 A body corporate that commits an offence under this Act is liable on conviction to a fine of at least and any person who, at the time of the commission of the offence, was a chief executive officer, director, secretary, manager or other similar officer of the body corporate or was purporting to act in any such capacity shall be liable on conviction to a fine not less than N500,000.00 or imprisonment for a term of at least 6 months or both.

7 Nothing in this Part shall preclude the-
a proper expression of appreciation to the donor of blood by way of tokens or gestures other than financial reward; or
b charging of appropriate fees as determined by the commission to cover the cost of preparation of blood components for transfusion or the proper performance of autologous blood transfusion.