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The Norwegian Centre for Blood Preparedness (Nokblod)

Early balanced blood transfusion is a recommended treatment for patients experiencing life-threatening haemorrhage. The Norwegian Centre for Blood Preparedness (Nokblod) coordinates national blood preparedness efforts in Norway and is based at 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 an adequate and sustainable supply of blood and blood products during crises, disasters, and wartime situations.
  • Establish and maintain systems that facilitate effective civilian-military coordination of the national blood supply.
  • Strengthen preparedness for major civilian emergencies and in geographically isolated regions.

Nokblod serves as the national civilian-military coordinating body for blood preparedness during peacetime, crises, and war. Our core activities include education and training, consultancy services, innovation, research, and development.

Key areas of work include:

  • Providing education and training in blood preparedness systems, including the use of emergency blood products such as whole blood, cold-stored platelets, and dried plasma.
  • Developing and implementing systems for emergency collection and transfusion of whole blood, including Walking Blood Banks and emergency blood donor programmes.
  • Coordinating national and international requests for blood and blood products.
  • Supporting research, innovation, and development projects aimed at strengthening blood preparedness and transfusion support capabilities.

 

Education and Training

Nokblod offers courses, workshops, and instructional programmes in blood preparedness and related fields for both civilian and military personnel. We welcome enquiries regarding training opportunities and customised educational programmes.
Education, training, courses and instruction videos
A group of people in red uniforms

Dried Plasma Project

Helse Bergen has been awarded NOK 15 million by Innovasjon Norge to develop technology for local production of dried plasma within blood banks. This project provides a unique opportunity to produce dried plasma for distribution to ambulances, air ambulance services, local hospitals, the Norwegian Armed Forces, and municipal healthcare services.
Dried plasma
A person holding a bottle

Nordic Blood Preparedness Project

The Nordic Blood Preparedness Project brings together partners from the northern regions of Norway, Sweden, and Finland to strengthen cross-border cooperation and preparedness in transfusion medicine and blood supply management.
Nordic Blood Preparedness Project
A doctor examining a patient

  1. Navn

    Contact Nokblod

    All inquiries to the Norwegian Centre for Blood Prepardness

    nokblod@helse-bergen.no
    +4755972461

    Department of Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital.

  2. Navn

    Electronic newsletter from the Norwegian Centre for Blood Prepardness

  3. Navn

    For information in Norwegian, please see our main website

  4. Navn

    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
Last updated 9/29/2026