CANADA PROBES DEATH OF NIGERIAN STUDENT AFTER PLASMA DONATION

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‎Health Canada has launched an investigation into the deaths of two plasma donors at private clinics in Winnipeg, Manitoba, including a 22-year-old Nigerian international student.

‎According to a report by The New York Times, the federal health agency confirmed it received mandatory reports from the clinics following fatal adverse reactions after plasma donation procedures carried out in October 2025 and January 2026, just over three months apart.

‎Both incidents occurred at facilities operated by Grifols, a Spanish healthcare company that runs 17 plasma donation clinics across Canada, including two in Winnipeg. Following the reports, Health Canada dispatched inspectors to the facilities as part of its investigation

‎Friends identified one of the deceased as Rodiyat Alabede, a 22-year-old Nigerian international student training to become a social worker. Alabede, whose parents are from Nigeria and Ivory Coast, was said to be an active member of the Muslim Nigerian community in Winnipeg.

‎The identity of the second donor has not been disclosed, with officials citing privacy laws.

‎The Executive Director of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Manitoba, Stephanie Holfeld, said Alabede became unresponsive during the donation procedure and died shortly afterward. However, she noted that the death has not yet been formally linked to the plasma donation as investigations are still ongoing.

‎“Certain investigative steps may still be in progress,” Holfeld said.

‎Friends and members of her community described the late student as caring and resilient. “She had a motherly side to her; she was protective and sweet. She never gave up, even when things got difficult for her,” said Chioma Ijoma.

‎In a statement, Grifols expressed condolences to the families of the deceased but said there was no immediate indication that the deaths were connected to the plasma donation process.

‎“We have no reason to believe that there is a correlation between the donors’ passing and plasma donation,” the company said, adding that donors undergo extensive health evaluations before being approved.

‎The company stated that it reported both incidents to authorities within the required 72-hour period and has also launched an internal investigation.

‎Plasma donation involves drawing blood from a donor, separating the plasma from the red blood cells, and returning the red blood cells to the body. The practice is common among students and low-income earners in Canada and the United States as a way of supplementing their income.

‎Grifols advertises that regular donors can earn about 6,000 Canadian dollars annually, roughly equivalent to $4,400 or about ₦7.2 million.

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