ICRC, PRCS launch drive for healthcare workers

Islamabad : The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in collaboration with the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), launched a nationwide public awareness campaign called ‘Bharosa Karein,’ which is aimed at fostering respect for healthcare workers in a bid to reduce incidents of violence inside hospitals.

The launching ceremony of the three-month campaign was held with government officials, civil society members and the media in attendance. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr. Zafar Mirza was the chief guest on the occasion. The campaign draws attention to an important healthcare issue in Pakistan as part of the wider global Health Care in Danger (HCiD) initiative addressing the issue of violence against healthcare personnel and services.

“Healthcare personnel themselves become vulnerable at the hands of families of victims. This is a commonly observed phenomenon and it is growing. We observe it but do not do anything to tackle it. I am very appreciative of ICRC and PRCS for taking up this issue and raising awareness about it, and I ensure continued support for such initiatives.”

Speaking on the occasion, the Chairman of PRCS Dr. Saeed Elahi said that many hospitals have been attacked in Pakistan, sometimes by militants and at times by attendants of patients. “Hospitals, healthcare staff and transport should be spared from violence and must be respected and protected,” he said. ‘Bharosa Karein’ is a call for all stakeholders, humanitarian organizations, civil society, media and the government to do everything within their stride to protect health and aid workers who are targeted or obstructed as they set out to help the people in need,” Dr. Saeed said. He said PRCS, being a partner of ICRC in the campaign, will engage its volunteers in different parts of the country to sensitize attendants in hospitals and people from different walks of life to the issue of violence against healthcare personnel and services.

Speaking on the occasion, the Head of the ICRC’s delegation in Pakistan Dragana Kojic, said, “Violence against healthcare is a humanitarian challenge, which undermines access to and provision of healthcare services and is detrimental to the prevention and eradication of diseases.”

Violence against healthcare not only prevents effective delivery of healthcare services, but also poses a threat to the lives of healthcare personnel and patients in need of critical care. The campaign therefore aims to raise the general public’s awareness of the need to not interfere with the work of healthcare personnel and to avoid resorting to violence, no matter what.