Prof. Cees Th. SMIT SIBINGA
MD, PhD, FRCP Edin, FRCPath
Cees Th. Smit Sibinga is a University of Groningen graduate, clinical haematologist and specialist of
Transfusion Medicine. He is special professor of International Development of Transfusion Medicine at
the University Medical Centre Groningen and University of Groningen. He has been involved in the development of Transfusion Medicine and quality systems and management for economically restricted
countries since 1980 through his work with the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Federation
of Haemophilia (WFH) and the International Consortium for Blood Safety.
Cees Th. Smit Sibinga is the former Medical Director and founder of the Dutch Regional Blood Bank in
Groningen (1976, northern part of the Netherlands), IQM Consulting (2001), Sanquin Consulting Services
and the Academic Institute for International Development of Transfusion Medicine in Groningen (2001),
and the AABB Consulting Services Division, Bethesda, MD (2002).
For 25 years he has served as the Managing Director of Sanquin Division Blood Bank Noord Nederland
in Groningen, the Netherlands (1976-2001).
Since 1993 his Blood Bank did incorporate the WHO Collaborating Centre for Blood Transfusion and the
WFH International Hemophilia Training Centre in Groningen. In 2001 the Blood Bank became the first
Collaborating Centre of the International Consortium for Blood Safety (ICBS). When he left in 2004,
these functions were no longer continued.
Quality Management –
Cees Th. Smit Sibinga is the Founder of the Dutch Blood Bank Inspection and Accreditation Program and
Haemovigilance System. His blood bank was the first non-American civilian blood centre accredited by
the AABB in 1981. Since then he served the AABB inspection and accreditation program as a lead inspector/auditor till 2004.
He also is the founder, and was the first Director (2001-2004) and Manager Operations (2001-2010) of the
Consulting Services* of the Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation and of the Academic Institute for International Development of Transfusion Medicine (IDTM)** at the University of Groningen (2001-2010) in the Netherlands.
He served (2000-2004) as the regional coordinator to the global WHO Quality Management Project for
the Europe region. In addition, Cees Smit Sibinga has also been the first Vice President and Director of
the AABB Consulting Services Division (2001-2004) providing quality and process improvement solutions to Transfusion Medicine and related biological therapies worldwide. From 2004 till 2011 he served the Consulting Services Division as the Senior Medical Advisor international development of quality management in transfusion medicine
* created in 2001 and ISO 9001:2000 certified since December 2004
** created in 2001, registered under Dutch law as a Foundation since 2004 and ISO 9001:2000
certified since June 2007
Science and Education –
Cees Th. Smit Sibinga has organized 28 international symposia on Transfusion Medicine in Groningen,
published over 350 peer reviewed scientific articles and chapters in books, and edited over 35 books. He
was the chairman of the organizing committee of the 1986 12th International Scientific Meeting Society
for Low Temperature Biology in Groningen, the 1990 3rd WAA congress and vice-chairman of the 1994
International Congress of ISBT in Amsterdam.
In 2012 he organised and chaired the 11th European Conference on e-learning (ECEL) in Groningen.
Cees Th. Smit Sibinga has served and still serves ISBT in numerous working parties and committees (e.g.
Socio-economic, Education, Publications, Clinical Transfusion, Global Blood Safety, etc.) and served as
the Editor-in-Chief of Transfusion Today from 1992 till 2004.
Cees Th. Smit Sibinga is the founder of the European Society for Haemapheresis (EFSH, 1980) and a
co-founder of the World Apheresis Association (WAA, 1984) and served both organizations as a President.
Cees Th. Smit Sibinga is the founder of the Academic Institute for International Development of Transfusion Medicine (IDTM, 2001) at UMCG, Groningen focused on restricted economy countries. This unique institute did provide a post-academic Master course (e-learning) in Management of Transfusion Medicine (MMTM) which is currently run by the Graduate School of Medical Sciences (GSMS) at the University of Groningen.
He has written and edited over 35 books on Transfusion Medicine, published over 350 peer reviewed
articles and chapters in books. He presented countless scientific posters and orals at numerous international professional congresses and meetings.
Cees Th. Smit Sibinga has been recognized and honoured as an honorary member of the Brazilian, Dutch, Hellenic, Hungarian and Indian Societies for Blood Transfusion and Immunohaemotology, received in 2001 the AABB Joel Solomon Memorial Award for Quality Management in Transfusion Medicine, and in
2019 the AABB President’s Award for education.
He was honoured to present the Mayo Clinic (1994), Leela Moolgaokar Memorial (1997), Tibor Greenwalt
(2002), and Claes Högman Memorial Lecture (2007), and invited as a Harvard Medical School JPTM
Grand Rounds Lecturer (2010).
In 2018 the ‘Ubbo Emmius Colleghie’ of the Groningen Congress Bureau awarded him the second Groningen Congress Medal for his lifelong efforts to promote International Congresses in Groningen, as an important educational element.
Cees Th. Smit Sibinga is an expert (professor at the University of Groningen) in international development
of transfusion medicine, involving all aspects of the management and operations of blood supply and
clinical use systems at national level.
He is a Long-term member of WHO Expert Advisory Panel on Blood Transfusion Medicine (since 1994).
His special skills are – executive management, quality management, institutional organization (blood
supply systems), clinical use of blood, teaching and training in transfusion medicine, design of quality
and quality management systems. Audit and inspection of quality and quality management systems in
blood transfusion.
International Consulting –
Since 1980 he has been increasingly involved in international short term consulting missions and medium
and long term projects focused on the development of Transfusion Medicine in economically restricted
countries in Asia, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Africa, Western Pacific and the Middle East.
Many of these missions and projects were undertaken and completed on behalf of WHO and/or on a
specific request of country Ministries of Health.
The most recent experiences (2004 – 2020)
• ADB – WCHD Component 3 on Blood Safety (Uzbekistan >4 years),
• ADB – FHSDP Component 1 Blood Safety (Mongolia 4 years, ongoing),
• EU – IPA project Croatia (8 months),
• EU PHARE – Blood Safety project Romania (Quality Management, 1 year),
• EU Twinning Light – Blood Safety project Cyprus (6 months),
• Expertise France – Mendami Project to Strengthen the Blood Transfusion System in Libya; senior
guidance and advice on improving the blood collection system (VNRB) and the development of a M&E
system for blood processing. (6 months),
• GFATM/WHO – Blood Safety project Cambodia (clinical use, 1 year),
• GIZ – Safe Blood Project Pakistan (>4 years),
• UNFPA (Somalia country office) – Operational Plan for National Blood Bank, Mogadishu, Somalia
(2 months),
• US HSS/CDC PEPFAR – AIHA project CAR (5 years),
• US HHS/CDC PEPFAR – Blood Safety track (Uganda and Zambia, >5 years),
• WB – Blood Safety project Georgia (4 months),
• WB – Blood Safety project Kazakhstan (28 months)
• WB – Blood Safety project Bangladesh (assessment, 6 months),
• WHO-EMRO – Availability and Safety of Blood Transfusion: a Strategy and Framework for Action for
the Eastern Mediterranean Region 2016-2025. Primary Technical Advisor (10 years)
• WHO-EMRO/EU – Blood Safety project Iraq (1 year, on hold),
• WHO-EMRO GFATM – Blood Safety project Sudan (Quality Management, 1 year),
• WHO-EURO/EU – IPA project Montenegro (2 years)
Fluent in Dutch, English, German. Conversant in French.
Biodata –
Born • 17-06-1939, Makassar, Indonesia
Marital status • married, 4 children, 8 grandchildren
Education • 1965, MD at University of Groningen
• 1971, Clinical Haematologist, University Medical Center, Groningen
• 1972, PhD University of Groningen
• 1992, FRCP Transfusion Medicine, Edinburgh, Scotland
• 1995, FRCPath Transfusion Medicine, London, UK
Professional functions (current) –
Transfusion and Immunohematology
• WHO, member expert committee on blood transfusion
• Editor in Chief, International Journal for Clinical Transfusion Medicine
international development of quality management in transfusion medicine
• Editor in Chief, International Journal for Blood Transfusion and
Immunohaematology
• Chairman Publications Ethics Committee, Edorium Journals
• Vice-president Transfusion Medicine Foundation
• Member ISBT Working Party on Clinical Use of Blood
• Member ISBT Working Party on Global Blood Safety
• International Advisor Asian Association of Transfusion Medicine
• President 2014-2017 RI RAG ‘Global Network for Blood Donation’
• Vice-President 2019-2021 RI RAG for Blood Donation
Social functions (current) –
• Chairman National Polio Committee, Dutch Rotary Districts
• TRF officer RC Groningen-West, Zuidhorn, NL
• Chairman RI D1590 International Service Committee
• Multiple (6) Paul Harris Fellow Rotary International
• Member RI Paul Harris Society
• Secretary Foundation Community Service, RC Groningen-West, Zuidhorn, NL
• Past Chairman ‘Ubbo Emmius Colleghie’ (Advisory Board Groningen
Congress Bureau)
• Past Chairman Jubilee Committee ‘250 years De Groote Sociëteit, 1765-2015’,
Groningen, NL
• Member Excursion Committee De Groote Sociëteit, Groningen, NL
• Member of Merit, De Groote Sociëteit, Groningen, NL
• Chairman Presidium Senior Academy Society (SAS), University of
Groningen, NL
Visiting Address
IQM Consulting Office
de Gast 46 9801 AE Zuidhorn, NL
Communication
Tel: +31-6-2223.4325
Fax: +31-594-529566
E-mail: c.sibinga@planet.nl / info@iqmconsulting.com
Registrations
CoC Groningen 02085473
VAT NL0166.13.958B01
DUNS 412817871 CCR Washington DC
Trademark BOIP 1312476