By Bellow Sani l May 21, 2026
Fresh calls have emerged in Canada for a renewed investigation into the death of a 22-year-old Nigerian international student, Rodiyat Alabede, who died shortly after donating plasma at a private clinic operated by Spanish healthcare company Grifols in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Alabede, a student at the University of Winnipeg, reportedly suffered cardiac arrest after donating plasma at a Grifols collection centre in October 2025. Canadian health authorities initially stated there was no confirmed link between the plasma donation process and her death. However, patient advocates and campaigners are now questioning the findings and demanding a more comprehensive inquiry into the incident.
According to reports, concerns intensified after an autopsy allegedly revealed that Alabede had cardiomegaly, commonly known as an enlarged heart, a condition advocates say may have increased the risks associated with plasma donation. Campaigners also accused Health Canada of inconsistencies between the autopsy report and the agency’s later medical summary concerning the circumstances surrounding her death.
Kat Lanteigne, a blood safety campaigner representing Alabede’s family, claimed inspection reports uncovered significant operational deficiencies at the Winnipeg plasma centre. The reports allegedly highlighted poor staff training, inadequate responses to machine alarms, and repeated failures to comply with safety procedures.
The controversy has further intensified following revelations that another person also died in January 2026 after donating plasma at a different Grifols-operated clinic in Winnipeg. Health advocates and labour organizations across Canada have since called for the suspension or outright ban of paid plasma donation centres, arguing that vulnerable individuals are often targeted through financial incentives.
Reports indicate that Grifols operates multiple paid plasma clinics across Canada, including several in Ontario and Manitoba. Critics argue that the company’s growing presence in low-income communities raises ethical and public health concerns.
In response to the growing criticism, Grifols previously stated that it had “no reason to believe” there was a direct correlation between the deaths and plasma donations. The company also said it was cooperating with Health Canada and implementing corrective measures required by regulators.
The case has reignited wider debates in Canada over the commercialization of plasma collection and the safety of private donation centres. Advocacy groups have warned that the incidents could undermine public confidence in Canada’s blood and plasma system, particularly given the country’s historical experience with contaminated blood scandals in the 1980s and 1990s.
Friends and supporters described Alabede as compassionate and deeply committed to helping others. A fundraising campaign created in her memory said she had moved from Nigeria to Canada to pursue her dream of becoming a social worker.