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Red Cross
and Red Crescent members protect life and alleviate suffering
through the International Committee of the Red Cross, the League
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and their own National
Society; each organization having a specific mandate and field
of action. Together, these organizations form a lasting and evolving
Movement, grounded in humanitarian principles and recognized by
international law and custom. This unique network has spanned
generations, linking people around the world who share a commitment
to prevent and ease suffering, and a readiness to protect human
life and dignity-no matter where, no matter when.' |
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FIRST AID COURSES IN PUNJAB
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In pursuit of the
very wide and ambitious objective of "A First Aider in Every
Home' in PRCS First Aid Training Team headed to Khewra and rind
Dadan Khan after covering 10 colleges in Lahore; The 8 hour Community
Based First Aid Short Course was spread over two days and conducted
in Govt Boys High School, Khewra and Govt Girls High School, PD
Khan. The objective was to train a segment from the community
making them confident and able to intelligently handle general
emergencies in their area. As a secondary benefit, the activity
also lays good groundwork for increasing volunteering interest
in the youth and uplifting the image of PRCS.
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SARNHA MEETING IN BANGLADESH
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Dr. Furqan
Ahmad Khan', Project Manager HIV / AIDS and Dr. Imran Maqsood
Butt, Provincial Project Officer HIV/AIDS attended the 2nd South
Asian RC/RC Network on HIV /AIDS meeting in Bangladesh in December,
2002. Plans are in the offing to launch a comprehensive project
by PRCS for the prevention of the disease and for the care of
People living with HIV and AIDS (PL W HA).
Prior to his departure for Bangladesh, the Project Manager obtained
necessary facts and figures regarding the latest situation of
HIV / AIDS in Pakistan and the Government of Pakistan policy towards
this disease from NACP and UNAIDS. The most important breakthrough
at the meeting was the commitment of SARNHA to assist PRCS in
establishment of an independent HIV / AIDS unit provided the assistance
given is assured to be used for the said reason. There is a visible
possibility of getting the necessary funds out of OPEC HIV /AIDS
Project.
Linkages were also formed with various other Societies and information
on HIV / AIDS programmes being conducted in their countries
were obtained. Discussions were held with members of Asian Regional
Taskforce on AIDS (ART) and they were informed that though HIV
/ AIDS prevention is already part of the Blood Donor Centers
Motivational Campaign and First Aid courses, Hepatitis B &
C is more of a menace in Pakistan and people some how are more
accepting of these disease as stress has been put on transmission
through blood, blood products and use of needles rather than
the sexual aspects. Counseling and treatment projects in Pakistan
may be more successful in our cultural milieu, achieving RC/RC's
"call for action"- which demands a comprehensive and
coordinated strategy from communities, governments, national
and international organizations, and the private sector for
support to HIV1AIDS awareness and prevention campaigns and access
to counseling/treatment and care for PLWHAs - if PRCS staff
and volunteers are provided with specialized training for pre
and post counseling for HIV /AIDS.
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