F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: The formal handing over ceremony of ambulances by Norwegian Red Cross to Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) Merged Areas Headquarter was held on Thursday at Governor House Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shah Farman chaired the meeting followed by an introduction by all participants among them Chairman Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) National Headquarter, Ibrar-ul-Haq, Ambassador of Norway to Pakistan, Kjell Gunnar Eriksen, Head of Program Norwegian Red Cross Haakon Jacob Rothing, Regional Representative Asia Region NRC Johannes Victor Petrus Henricus Stienen, Country Program Manager NRC Elise Svarstad, Chairman PRCS Merged Areas Headquarter, Asif Khan, board members of Merged Areas HQ and officials of health directorate were also present.
Governor KP Shah Farman in his concluding remarks reiterated that PRCS should prepare a fact-based report on the ground realities in the tribal districts to let the global community know about the worst crisis in the the region in last 40 years. We are the affectees of 40-years international politics and its causes and effects were worse, he informed.
Mr Shah Farman asked PRCS Merged Areas Headquarter to come up with a research based documents that reflects the causes and effects of 40-years long international politics. He clearly said that newly merged districts suffered huge losses due to the conflict ‘imposed from the outside.
Ambassador of Norway to Pakistan, Kjell Gunnar Eriksen, also applauded the 10-years partnership of PRCS and NorCross and saying the Norwegian government believes that every person has the right to have health facilities. He hoped the PRCS and NorCross will divert their focus on children and women related issues. I am confident that ambulance service will be an added value to this project, he added.
Chairman PRCS National Headquarter, Ibrar-ul-Haq, in his address thanked the NorCross for its commendable support and hoped the partnership will remain continue in future as well. The PRCS has a substantial mandate to serve the unreached and ailing community who are in distress and in dire need, he added. He clearly said they need proper planning, strategy and way forward as there is no shortage of resources and funding but passion require for everything.
We need to generate our own resources and for this purpose we are trying to establish our resource mobilization and marketing sections in PRCS, he stated. About NorCross, Chairman National Headquarter said it was not only working in Health and WASH but also plays key role in other fields. He assured his full patronage to Merged Areas HQ in coming time.
Head of Program Norwegian Red Cross Haakon Jacob Rothing in his speech said that their partnership with PRCS has continued for the last 10-years and hope to maintain it in future as well. He expressed his joy over 15,000 patients being treated in last one month after initiation of operation in health facilities and saying they are all set to continue the support in forthcoming time.
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman PRCS Merged Areas Headquarter, Asif Khan, thanked the NorCross for its generous contribution. He informed the main objective of the project is to contribute to government efforts in long term stabilization of the conflict affected Kurram and Khyber Tribal Districts through improved access and awareness to safe health care and WASH services.
Regarding services being provided, Chairman MA Headquarter added the PRCS has provided health services to about 15,000 patients in the last four weeks which is highly commendable.
Mr Asif Khan told participants that NorCross has also extended its support in access to education, school safety program (SSP) which started in 2019 in four tribal districts including Bajaur, Khyber, Mohmand and Kurram. As many as 88 schools, each district with 22 schools including 11 male and 11 female were identified in merge areas where formation of school safety committees, emergency response teams (ERTs) and junior youth clubs were established, he added.
It is to be mentioned here that the ambulances handing over ceremony had been finalized during bilateral agreements between PRCS National Headquarter and Norwegian Red Cross in 2019 for collaborative efforts in improving access of the general public to Health and WASH facilities in tribal areas. As many as eight vehicles including four ambulances will be utilized for health referral services in Khyber and Kurram Tribal Districts.
