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The Red Cross Society (RCS) said it will improve its approaches to humanitarian needs, its ambulance patrol services on major roads and other volunteers-oriented programmes in Oyo State.
Branch Chairman of the society, Mr Babalola Famade, stated this at a news conference in Ibadan, yesterday, to mark the commencement of this year’s World Red Cross Week, tagged: “From the Heart.”
He said the week is being celebrated to commemorate the 160 years of establishment of the organisation by its Founder, Jean Dunant, who died on October 30, 1910. Famade said the ambulance patrol services that had been put on hold for many years would be back on the road again.
He said the society would partner with the state government to ensure that it became part of the school system and train the younger generation as emergency responders and first aid assistants.
Famade said the importance of the society in community-based programmes, disaster preparedness and response, tracing services, prison sanitation and youth development, among others could not be over-emphasised.
“This year’s World Red Cross Day marks the 160th year of its existence and is tagged, “From the Heart”. From the heart, our volunteering activities are key to the progress we’ve always recorded. Red Cross and Red Crescent are the world’s largest humanitarian network, made up of millions of volunteers and professionals working in close proximity with those in need.
“Over the past decade, the Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers and staffers have supported millions of people in emergency response, ranging from natural disasters, civil unrest, conflict to road traffic accidents. Oyo State branch is not left out of this noble course of saving lives,” Famade said.
He appealed to kind-hearted Nigerians to support the organisation in discharging its duties to humanity, as entrenched in its principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.
Others, who spoke at the occasion, said the organisation, with more than 2,000 volunteers in 13 active divisions in all the local governments in the state, would continue to respond to emergencies and train citizens on first aid.
Ojo said a state rapid response service team would be in operation from July.
