TEHRAN – President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Francesco Rocca, has appreciated the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) as one of the strongest communities in the world.

Rocca met Pir-Hossein Kolivand, head of IRCS, on the sidelines of the Conference of Humanitarian Leadership for the MENA Region held on Monday in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, ILNA reported.

He expressed satisfaction with the high number of volunteers of the IRCS worldwide, said that IRCS is one of the strongest communities in the world, which brings hope back to people’s lives after every incident.

Stating that IFRC will support the IRCS’s programs, he announced readiness to strengthen the Iranian Red Crescent Society relations with other national communities because those communities can use Iran's experience and knowledge to deal with and prevent the incidents.

Kolivand, for his part, said that it is planned to set up an “Education Town” to train all age groups to deal with accidents in a simulated manner, and to provide this opportunity to the national populations of the region through virtual or in-person meetings, calling on the IFRC to help in this regard.

IRCS services worldwide

The Iranian Red Crescent Society is one of the most effective and credible international relief organizations, having the largest number of young volunteers, providing medical care in several countries, and producing pharmaceutical products, medical and relief equipment.

Established in 1922, IRCS operates as a humanitarian organization in the fields of rescue and relief in disasters, health, treatment, and rehabilitation, educating the public, youth, and volunteers, as well as the production of medicine and medical equipment.

In 2005, the IRCS received the Henry Davison Award for outstanding humanitarian services, and the IRCS initiative of volunteers was selected as the best project (out of 50 projects from 45 national societies), by the General Assembly of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

At present, the Iranian Red Crescent Society provides medical services to people in 13 Asian, African, and Latin American countries.

Currently, some 14 medical facilities are offering humanitarian, relief, and health services to the deprived people in 13 countries, including Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Bolivia, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Congo, Kenya, Lebanon, Mali, Niger, and Ecuador.

The IRCS polyclinic center includes various departments such as laboratory, pharmacy, radiology and physiotherapy, and general practitioners along with obstetricians, gynecologists, internal medicine, pediatrics, ophthalmologists, and dentists.

FB/MG