Enhancing Peacekeeping: Pakistan Army Integrates UN Field Medical Assistants Course

As one of the largest and longest-serving contributors to UN peacekeeping, Pakistan has recently taken an important step to enhance its contributions to peacekeeping globally.   Pakistan has integrated the United Nations Field Medical Assistants Course (FMAC) into its pre-deployment training for its uniformed peacekeepers. This initiative aims to improve the safety and effectiveness of Pakistani peacekeepers serving in UN missions worldwide.

The UN FMAC, launched by the Department of Operational Support in 2023 after a series of  successful pilots, forms part of the United Nations Triangular Partnership Programme’s (TPP) broader efforts to ensure peacekeepers can provide immediate care when needed most.

The course equips participants with life-saving skills to stabilise casualties until more advanced medical care is available. This training is crucial in the challenging, and often hostile, environments where peacekeepers operate.

A key component of FMAC is the Training of Trainers (ToT), which enables medical personnel from Troop-Contributing Countries to train their own troops for peacekeeping deployments. This approach ensures sustainable knowledge transfer and capacity building in participating countries.

Brigadier General Dr Muhammad Muttahhar Asim Niaz, a seasoned Pakistani surgeon, played a central role in bringing this training to Pakistan. 

After attending the FMAC ToT in July 2023, Brigadier Asim saw an opportunity to elevate Pakistan’s medical training for peacekeepers. 

 “No soldier should die from an injury when prompt treatment can prevent death”, the Brigadier General Doctor emphasized. 

Building on the UN’s 7-day FMAC, Pakistan developed its Combat Medics Course (CMC), a 14-day programme that incorporates FMAC elements while adding modules tailored to the unique needs of missions that Pakistani peacekeepers deploy to. This includes modules on Environmental Hazards, Snake, Scorpion and Animal Bites, Poisoning, Management of Specific Injuries, and Blood Pressure Monitoring.

To increase accessibility, the curriculum has been translated into Urdu, complementing the UN’s existing translations in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Throughout his time in the Pakistan Army, Brigadier Asim has witnessed many preventable  deaths that can be avoided with prompt and appropriate treatment. This, he says, underscores the importance of preventative measures and immediate response skills to save lives.

As of June 2024, Pakistan has successfully conducted three iterations of the CMC ToT. The integration of FMAC standards into Pakistan’s pre-deployment training marks a significant step in improving peacekeepers’ medical readiness. By investing in long-term capacities, Pakistan is contributing to more effective national and mission-level deployments while ensuring better protection for its peacekeepers.

Brigadier Asim summarised the empowering nature of this training: "This is something for you, it's not for me. I'm going to tell you how to use [the medical kit but] the person who is going to use it is you yourself". 

The United Nations, through the TPP, will continue investing in the delivery of FMAC and FMAC ToT courses, with plans for further implementation in 2025. 

The success and longevity of programmes like FMAC depend on strong partnerships between the United Nations TPP and Member States. Through these collaborative efforts and continued investments in training, peacekeepers are better prepared to face challenges and save lives in their crucial work around the world. 

The UN TPP is a flagship peacekeeping training and operational support programme of the Department of Operational Support. 

Learn more about the UN TPP through this link.