The Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) is celebrating the World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day on Saturday to pay tribute to its staff and volunteers for their services towards communities amid highly challenging situations due to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.
The World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day is celebrated on May 8 every year, and is dedicated to the staff and volunteers of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement who are always on the frontline to help vulnerable communities in the wake of any humanitarian crises.
The Movement is comprised of 192 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies with 160,000 local branches and around 14 million volunteers worldwide, the ICRC, and the IFRC. It’s estimated that one in every 636 people in the world is a Red Cross or Red Crescent volunteer.
This year, the theme for World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day is #Unstoppable, referring to the ‘unstoppable’ commitment of the RCRC Movement towards communities. “Since past year, Covid-19 has brought fear and disruption into the lives of people across Pakistan. This has changed the lives of people who were already affected by challenges like poverty, lack of health, education and civic facilities, etc. But one thing has not changed: the support provided by the PRCS volunteers, who have been in communities every single day helping them with provision of first aid, timely supply of blood, food, safe drinking water, and awareness on critical healthcare issues amid Covid-19 pandemic. Their commitment has been ‘unstoppable’ even in such a difficult times,” PRCS Chairman Abrar ul Haq said in a statement on the occasion.
Abrar ul Haq paid tributes to the volunteers and staff of the PRCS who, he said, have done a remarkable job, especially during the pandemic. He said the PRCS has taken plenty of initiatives to contain coronavirus as well as educate the masses about how to avoid contracting the infection since the outbreak early last year. He said among some larger-than-life initiatives taken by the PRCS are the launch of Corona Muhafiz Response Campaign, Agahi Helpline and the establishment of Red Crescent Corona Care Hospital in Rawalpindi, COVID19 Mass Vaccination Center. “All this was made possible only due to dedication and commitment of the PRCS staff and volunteers,” he said, and also paid tribute to the healthcare workers and personnel of law enforcement agencies who have been working day and night to serve the humanity across country. “PRCS volunteers and staff know that the power to change the world lies within people and communities. They work every day to make sure that communities have the knowledge and means to protect themselves, reduce their risks and live safely and with dignity,” he further said. “Our commitment to make the world a safer and more peaceful place is unstoppable,” he added.
