PRCS to provide first aid training at community level in AJK

MUZAFFARABAD: The Pakistan Red Crescent Society, AJK State Branch, under its programme First Aid & Pre Hospital Emergency Care, organised two-day district first aiders bi-annual coordination meeting and stakeholders quarterly coordination meeting here on Sunday.

The main purpose of the meetings was to review the ongoing activities and to strengthen coordination mechanism amongst the Pakistan Red Crescent Society and major stakeholders of AJK. The chairman Pakistan Red Crescent Society, AJK State Branch, Ejaz Raza, chaired the coordination meeting.

Besides commissioner Muzaffarabad Division, Masood-Ur-Rehman Awan, Senior Superintendent of Police Muzaffarabad Syed Riaz Haider Bukhari, Focal Person for First Aid & PHEC Program at International Committee of Red Cross Dr. Amjad and Assistant Director First Aid & PHEC Program National Headquarters Dr. Fatima also attended the meeting.

Ejaz Raza welcomed all the stakeholders for attending the meeting. While addressing the meeting, the chairman emphasised on strong coordination mechanism and good working relationship with all stakeholders across AJ&K.

“We have an open door policy for everyone; you all are requested to join hands to serve the suffering humanity. There are certain areas where the government cannot train the communities and we are ready to organize training in different fields,” he added.

The chairman further said that they were also thankful to the Department of Health for their support in pandemic. He went on saying that Pakistan Red Crescent Society, AJK, has vaccinated more than 18,000 people across the state under its Corona Free Kashmir Initiative Program and they were expanding the vaccination program to other districts.

The chairman also announced that blood banks in districts Muzaffarabad, Mirpur and Kotli with the help of ICRC and Pakistan Red Crescent Society, will be established very soon. He further said that first aid training for female students in schools, colleges and communities will be organized across AJ&K, so that they could respond to domestic injuries.

Speaking on the occasion, Focal Point for First Aid & PHEC Program at International Committee of Red Cross, Dr Amjad, said that the ICRC is aiming to organize first aid training for Lady Health Workers in AJ&K. “In order to tackle disaster and any emergency situation, we need to set a plan of action and strong coordination between PRCS, and stakeholders. The ICRC is supporting different health related programs in AJK and we have strong coordination with the health department,” he added.

Dr. Fatima briefed on different activities of the first aid program. "We have decided to launch a massive awareness campaign about COVID-19 in schools and colleges so that people could escape contracting virus. Preventive measures and SOPs could lead to healthy and safe society”, she added. successful event at state level.