Health authorities in Canada have initiated an investigation after the death of a 22-year-old Nigerian international student during a plasma donation at a for-profit clinic in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The fatality is among two recent deaths at the same clinic network reported to Health Canada, prompting federal inspections of the facilities.
Brandspur Banking News Desk reports that the clinics involved are operated by Grifols, a Spanish healthcare company with 17 centres across Canada, including two in Winnipeg. Health Canada confirmed it received mandatory reports following serious adverse events after plasma donations conducted in October 2025 and January 2026. Inspectors have since been dispatched to assess compliance and safety protocols.
Friends have identified one of the deceased as Rodiyat Alabede, a Nigerian student pursuing social work studies and active within Winnipeg’s Muslim Nigerian community. The second donor’s identity remains confidential due to privacy regulations. Stephanie Holfeld, Executive Director of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Manitoba, stated that Alabede became unresponsive during the procedure and died shortly after, although the death has not yet been officially linked to the plasma donation.
Family and friends remember Alabede as a protective and caring individual. Chioma Ijoma, a close acquaintance, described her as “she had a motherly side to her, she was protective and sweet. She never gave up, even when things got difficult for her.”
Grifols released a statement expressing condolences to the families while asserting that there is currently no confirmed connection between the deaths and the plasma donation process. The company emphasised that donors undergo thorough health evaluations before being cleared for donation and that both incidents were reported within the required 72-hour window. An internal investigation is ongoing.
Plasma donation involves extracting blood, separating plasma from red blood cells, and returning the remaining components to the donor. The procedure is often used by students and low-income earners in Canada and the United States as a source of supplementary income, with Grifols advertising potential annual earnings of approximately 6,000 Canadian dollars, equivalent to roughly 7.2 million naira.
The unfolding investigation underscores concerns around the safety of for-profit plasma collection operations and highlights the need for rigorous oversight in donor protection and healthcare compliance. Health Canada continues to monitor the situation closely as inspections and evaluations are carried out at the affected clinics.
