Andhra Pradesh celebrates Red Cross Day today

Vijayawada: Indian Red Cross Society was formed by an Act in Parliament in 1920 and started functioning under the guidance of the President of India at the national level, Governors at the state level, and District Collectors at the district level as Presidents of the Indian Red Cross Society rendering service activities in the state.

The Andhra Pradesh Unit of the Indian Red Cross will celebrate World Red Cross Day on May 8. State governor Abdul Nazeer is the president of the Andhra Pradesh State Red Cross Society. The Red Cross Society will conduct various service activities on Monday and pay homage to the founder of the Red Cross Sir Jean Henri Dunant. Service activities of the Red Cross spread over 190 countries in the world since it was founded in 1863.

World celebrates Red Cross Day and pays tribute to its founder Sir Jean Henri Dunant, who was born on May 8, 1828. He was a businessman and a social activist from Switzerland and the was the first recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1901 for his contribution to the International Red Cross movement and striving to bring in peace among the countries.

In 1859, a deadly war broke out between France and Austria, popularly known as the ‘Battle of Sulferino’ in which nearly 40,000 soldiers were wounded and many died on the battlefield. Henri Dunant was moved by the plight of soldiers suffering for care and even for water. This made him take up the cause of such soldiers and determined to provide relief and comfort to the soldiers on the battlefield. He founded the International Red Cross Society in 1863.

Dr A Sridhar Reddy, Chairman of the Indian Red Cross Society, AP State branch has said that Red Cross is the only organization authorized by the Government of India to conduct First Aid training and issue certificates and so far lakhs of people have been trained in industries, commercial establishments and educational institutions. In view of the increasing cardiac problems, Red Cross is training enthusiastic youth and social activists on CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) to provide the needed first aid in the golden hours.

AK Parida, IAS (Retd), the General Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of AP Red Cross has said that AP Red Cross is also running some permanent projects like 120 bedded Cancer Hospital, Thalassemia transfusion centers, old age homes, child care institutions, exclusive schools for blind, orthopedically challenged and spastic children etc in the service of poor and underprivileged in society.

BVS Kumar, State Coordinator for Red Cross Blood Banks and Projects in Andhra Pradesh has said that Red Cross is running 18 Blood Banks in Andhra Pradesh with the latest infrastructure and experienced medical and paramedical staff. New blood centres are in construction at Bhimavaram, Narasaraopet, Rajahmundry, and Tirupati and will soon start functioning.

During last year, 95,000 units of blood were issued by Red Cross Blood Centers, and are aiming to reach 1.25 lakh this year. Blood grouping and blood awareness programmes are being conducted even in interior rural areas with mobile blood collection vans. Observing the pathetic situation and human loss in the second wave of Covid, just for the sake of non-availability of oxygen, AP Red Cross has established Oxygen Banks in all 13 districts, with a minimum of 40 Oxygen concentrators in each district.