The Norwegian Centre for Blood Preparedness - Nokblod

Early balanced blood transfusion is recommended for treatment of patients with life-threatening bleeding. The Norwegian Centre for Blood Preparedness (Nokblod) coordinates the national blood preparedness in Norway. Nokblod is located in Helse Bergen.

A photo of an accident scene with several emergency services and people present

Photo: Ole-Sverre Haugli/The Norwegian Armed Forces

For information in Norwegian >>

Our mission:

  • Ensure adequate and sustainable supply of blood and blood products in times of crisis and war.
  • Establish a system that ensures civilian-military coordination of blood supply.  
  • Strengthen preparedness for major civil disasters and geographically isolated areas.

Nokblod has an civilian-miltary coordination function for blood preparedness in times of peace, crisis and war. Our work tasks include education and training, consultancy, innovation, research and development:

  • Education and training in blood preparedness systems including the use of emergency blood products like whole blood, cold stored platelets and dried plasma
  • Establish systems for emergency collection and transfusion of whole blood (Walking Blood Banks and emergency blood donor pools)
  • Coordinatinon of national and international requests for blood
  • Blood donor recruitment

Contact information

For requests to the Norwegian Centre for Blood Preparedness:

nokblod@helse-bergen.no

Department of Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital

Torunn Oveland Apelseth

Director of the Norwegian Centre for Blood Preparedness

torunn.oveland.apelseth@helse-bergen.no
  • Senior Consultant at the Department of Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital
  • Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen

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Last updated 10/16/2025