The local chapter of the global Red Cross movement, the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRCS), continues to scale up service provision as it seeks to alleviate human suffering and save lives.
Over the past week, the organisation partnered the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) through provision of free first aid services and a clinic to members of the public.
ZRCS secretary-general Maxwell Phiri said it was in the organisation’s DNA to provide timely and appropriate humanitarian services to members of the public.
“The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society is an auxiliary to government and has got a mandate to provide free humanitarian services to members of the public both in disaster situations and peace times,” Phiri said.
“Our presence at national events like the ZITF speaks to our desire to assist humanity because we understand the challenges that they face during such gatherings, for example, fainting and other emergencies that may require response from professional first raiders and medical professionals.”
The organisation, through its provincial structures in Bulawayo, deployed at least 40 volunteers on busy days and a volunteer state registered nurse to assist members of the public during the week-long business extravaganza.
Matabeleland North provincial manager Thembelihle Valo said they were happy to have partnered the ZITF in serving humanity.
“The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society is a first aid provider and trainer of choice and over the years we have continued to provide free first aid services at key national events including ZITF,” Valo said.
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“While resource constraints have remained a challenge because the service is provided for free, we are grateful for the partnership we have with ZITF because we are allowed to man the grounds at no charge.”
Besides the volunteers who were manning the entire ZITF arena, the ZRCS also had a clinic to assist casualties that would have been ferried on stretchers by the trained action team members.
ZRCS is a voluntary organisation that is there to save lives and alleviate human suffering wherever it occurs and however it is called.
Currently, the organisation is part of ongoing Cyclone Idai response efforts in Chipinge and Chimanimani districts of Manicaland province as well as Zaka and Bikita districts of Masvingo province.
Beyond food and non-food support to cyclone victims, ZRCS with support from the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has also launched a Restoration of Family Links programme where they are assisting victims and survivors to link with their loved ones or seek them using telephone services and a Cyclone Idai RFL website they launched.
BY STYLE REPORTER
