Peacekeeping
Walking Blood Bank Kit Training at UNIFIL: A Milestone in Field Medical Readiness (2026)
In December 2025, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) hosted a groundbreaking pilot training on the Walking Blood Bank Kit, marking a significant step toward enhancing life-saving capabilities in austere and high-risk environments. The initiative aimed to operationalize the UN Walking Blood Bank system, equipping medical personnel with the skills to deliver timely whole blood transfusions during emergencies, representing a critical intervention for haemorrhage control and trauma care.
Training Overview and Objectives
The two-day programme successfully trained 35 participants from multiple contingents, with eight individuals certified under a train-the-trainers approach. This strategy not only strengthened internal capacity but also ensured sustainability by enabling trained personnel to cascade knowledge within their respective units. To maintain quality, participation was limited to those able to complete the full training duration.
The core objectives focused on familiarizing trainees with the Walking Blood Bank Kit and transport components, standardizing procedures for blood collection, compatibility testing, transport, and transfusion. Participants engaged in immersive, hands-on exercises and trauma simulations, reinforcing principles of remote damage control resuscitation and the early use of low titer O whole blood (LTOWB), a universal donor blood product critical for rapid resuscitation in haemorrhagic shock.
Experiential Learning and Operational Relevance
The training bridged theory with practice through scenario-based exercises, including donor identification, blood typing using Eldon cards, blood collection, and cold chain packaging for transport. While actual transfusions were simulated for sterility reasons, these drills provided invaluable exposure to real-world challenges such as time-sensitive decision-making, kit handling, and maintaining traceability under operational constraints.
A notable feature was the train-the-trainers pilot, where certified trainees actively supported instruction, fostering peer learning and collaborative knowledge transfer. Interactive tools, such as puzzles and flashcards, were incorporated to maintain engagement and reinforce workflows, demonstrating adaptability even in the face of logistical and language barriers.
Key Achievements and Strategic Impact
One of the most significant outcomes was the collaboration with the French Air Medical Evacuation Teamto operationalize LTOWB transfusion during casualty evacuation operations. This milestone includes plans to establish coordination with Naqoura Hospital, aligning with UNIFIL’s strategic decision to discontinue packed red cell procurement and transition to a walking blood bank system supported by a donor registry.
As UNIFIL enters its final year of operations within an unstable and high-risk operational context, the Walking Blood Bank Kit pilot provides a timely and operationally critical enhancement to medical readiness, ensuring the availability of life-saving whole blood transfusion capability under rapidly evolving conditions. At the same time, UNIFIL’s role as the pilot mission establishes a validated and adaptable model, with lessons learned, standardized procedures, and trained personnel informing the planned roll-out of the Walking Blood Bank Kit across other UN field missions operating in similarly austere and volatile environments.
Looking Ahead
Recommendations from the training emphasize the need for a secure donor registry, standardized kit components, and continued capacity-building through refresher courses and multilingual e-learning platforms. Future plans include expanding the train-the-trainers model, refining operational protocols, and embedding walking blood bank workflows into mission-wide medical standard operating procedures.
As UNIFIL moves toward full operationalization of the walking blood bank system, this pilot represents more than a technical achievement; it is a testament to innovation, collaboration, and commitment to saving lives in the most challenging environments.
The walking blood bank initiative is supported by the United Nations Peace and Development Trust Fund.