and healthy Pakistan (an integrated Preventive Health Care/Risk Reduction Program with the RC Movement and through Charter of Humanity with ITM and Volunteers). Dr Naseer said that another landmark initiative would be the setting up a ‘Prisoners’ Blood Donation Programme’ with the technical help of its blood transfusion centres for emergency blood collection in case of any major emergency or disaster. In return, PRC shall help in providing assistance to their family members and provide free legal aid through volunteers.
The secretary general told the board that restoring family links was a key area of cooperation between the PRCS and the ICRC over the years, needs to be activated as the citizens of Pakistan could greatly benefit from this programme locally and internationally.
At present, there is no helpline in the country where any person could get the information or assistance if any member of the family gets lost. Under this programme, PRCS shall start the ‘Lost helpline’ where any person can call to report their missing family member. This information shall be immediately matched with data, collected by PRCS, of all unattended and unidentified persons reporting to the hospitals due to any accident, emergency or a disaster. Similarly the other national societies shall be requested for locating any Pakistani missing in any foreign country.
PRC plans to launch national emergency ambulance service in an effective manner focused in areas of Pakistan where there is no Rescue 1122 Service available and along the proposed Pak-China Economic Corridor. This ambulance service would not only highlight PRCS presence but shall ensure visibility to PRCS humanitarian services. The Managing Body may also decide if we should use the same emergency number 1122 in the entire country like other developed countries or use a separate PRC number. Dr Naseer said that National Ambulance Service College was being established in collaboration with National Ambulance Service College of Ireland. Under the Road Safety Programme, PRCS would have one person in all major teaching and district headquarters hospitals for collection of information regarding trauma to find out the exact causes of road crashes in Pakistan so that advocacy could be done for improvement of road safety laws, better enforcement and implementation of IFRC global road safety initiatives.