UPDF troops sharpen life-saving skills in Somalia

7 May 2025, 10:17 am

By Sarah Ejang

Seventy-nine Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) personnel serving under the United Nations Guard Unit (UNGU) in Somalia have completed an intensive Battlefield Emergency First Aid (BEFA) training programme.

The course, delivered by the United Nations Transitional Mission in Somalia (UNTIMIS) in collaboration with the United Nations Support Office, was designed to enhance the troops’ ability to provide rapid and effective medical assistance in combat zones.

Participants were trained in a range of critical life-saving techniques, including basic life support, wound and injury management, control of catastrophic bleeding, infection response, systematic casualty assessment, and the treatment of hypothermia.

The practical, hands-on nature of the training highlighted the vital role of immediate medical intervention in minimising fatalities and mitigating the severity of injuries on the battlefield.

This initiative underscores UPDF-UNGU’s ongoing commitment to operational readiness and its significant contribution to international peacekeeping efforts in Somalia.