Editor’s Note
This article highlights the UN’s launch of a “Walking Blood Bank Kit” initiative, a portable system designed to provide rapid, safe blood access in remote peacekeeping missions. The training in Lebanon marks a practical step toward enhancing emergency medical response for personnel in the field.
On December 15 and 16, the United Nations officially launched the “Walking Blood Bank Kit” initiative, a project designed to ensure rapid access to safe blood in peacekeeping missions worldwide. This event, held at the headquarters of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in Naqoura, Lebanon, marked the start of a practical training session on the theme “First Aid Kit in Action – Mobile Blood Bank Training.”
In United Nations missions, the ability to perform safe blood transfusions can mean the difference between life and death. However, blood supply in isolated or high-risk areas can be challenging.
The mobile blood bank kit addresses this gap by enabling missions to establish an on-site, safe, and controlled blood collection capability from pre-screened donors among their own personnel. This reduces dependence on external suppliers while ensuring compliance with international hemovigilance standards.
This initiative is supported by the United Nations Peace and Development Trust Fund and funded by China.
The training enabled participants to master the deployment of the kit, perform blood typing, and execute the entire process from collection to transfusion.
UNIFIL is the first mission to benefit from this training, setting a standard for future deployments.
