Preventive health care: Red crescent joins hands with religious communities

The NASC is being established in collaboration with National Ambulance Service College of Ireland

ISLAMABAD:

The recent efforts and strategic initiatives of the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) revolve around the implementation of the ‘Safe and Healthy Pakistan’ drive --- an integrated preventive healthcare and risk-reduction programme with the Red Crescent Movement.

“These new initiatives of chairman Dr Saeed Elahi will further boost the society’s activities especially during peace time,” said PRCS Secretary-General Dr Rizwan Naseer while briefing the managing board at a meeting on Tuesday.

“PRCS has taken an initiative by signing a charter of humanity with Ittehad Tanzemat-e-Madaris Pakistan,” he stated.

According to the charter, PRCS plans to positively engage religious communities to effectively implement the prevention healthcare and blood donation advocacy and activities.

“The landmark initiative will involve setting up of a ‘Prisoners Blood Donation Programme’ with technical help of its Blood Transfusion Centres for emergency blood collection in case of any major emergency or disaster. In return, PRCS shall provide assistance and free legal aid to their family members through volunteers,” said Naseer.

He said restoring family links is a key area of cooperation between the PRCS and International Committee of the Red Cross over the years. “This needs to be activated as the citizens of Pakistan can greatly benefit from the programme locally and internationally. At present there is no helpline in the country where any person could get information or assistance, if a family member gets lost,” he added.

The meeting further revealed that PRCS plans to launch a National Emergency Ambulance Service focused in areas of Pakistan where there is no Rescue 1122 available and along the proposed Pak-China Economic Corridor. A distinctive quality of the service is that it would not just stress on the presence of PRCS but also ensure its visibility to humanitarian services.

“The National Ambulance Service College is being established in collaboration with National Ambulance Service College of Ireland. This will help in producing emergency paramedics as per international standards,” said Naseer.

Several dignitaries including Ministry of Finance Senior Joint Secretary Arshad Ahmed and Dr Talat Jabeen, a representative of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, among others attended the managing board meeting chaired by the PRCS chairman.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 20^th, 2015.