By Dr Gwendolyn Pang, Secretary General, Philippine Red Cross
It takes a high level of altruism and good will for someone to consider volunteering for a great cause but most importantly, it takes a noble and a brave heart to be a true volunteer and continue doing it. I have started serving the Red Cross as a youth volunteer. I have seen and learned firsthand about the work of the Red Cross in college and have felt how one person can make a lasting and immense contribution to the welfare of others.
Years came to pass and my desire to serve has grown unconsciously knowing that I have been hooked to volunteering and serving the organization that I really admire. Red Cross work is driven towards ensuring health is in people’s hands. I was inspired to see how volunteers brave the challenges of time, distance, and hazards to make sure people can access the health care services they have never had in their lifetime.
The Primary Health Care Program of the Philippine Red Cross supports the government in training 143 Red Cross Community Health Workers to do basic health care activities. Our goal is to have trained volunteers in every village in the country to bridge the gap between the community people and the health care providers. These activities include doing blood pressure checks, home care visits, vaccination and nutrition campaigns. As the premier humanitarian organization in the country, we support the government through community based health programmes and the mobilization of health volunteers.
As an archepelago, the Philippines is a disaster-prone country and a challenging environment to ensure that access to health care is achieved for all Filipinos. A 2008 report of the Philippine Department of Health shows that the health/human resource ratio in local government units is one doctor for almost 32,000 people; a nurse serves almost 20,000 people; and there is one midwife to every 7,000 people. Frequent disasters and public health emergencies are likely to put more pressure on this already stretched resource.
In a country affected by numerous challenges including the geographical barriers, we must capitalize on our greatest asset—our people. They need to be empowered to make their communities safe, healthy, and resilient in facing public health emergencies and disasters.
Volunteers are effective links in closing the gap in access to health care because they know their own communities, their own culture, and can address the concerns of the affected communities. They are quick and efficient in reporting promptly on what is happening in the community as they are well trained. Their ability to process information and communicate between the boundaries of technical and lay messages and deliver basic services represent the link to ensure better access to care
They are silent heroes enduring days of long walks to deliver vital health information and basic services such as home care, first aid, and vaccines. Their vital role in early reporting of diseases and in referral of cases to health facilities cannot be understated during outbreaks. Also serving as walking blood banks, volunteers help ensure the availability of safe, adequate blood supply.
The value of volunteering is an immense contribution to support communities and the government in ensuring that everyone can access cheap and holistic care. With the help of volunteers, communities can better build self-reliance and facilitate the achievement of lasting and responsive initiatives towards health.
My passion for volunteering continues and I would like to achieve more with many other inspiring volunteers. I look forward to the fulfillment of a dream. I wanted to see a million people showing up to let the country and the world know that Red Cross cares and that it is here to stay from today through generations to come. I believe in doing things one step at a time. It does not matter how long it would take us but as long as our directions are clear and strategic, we can achieve it.
Volunteers can never be compensated with monetary value or any kind of material equivalent. Their value cannot be equated, they are priceless and so is their work. The economic value and impact of their competence, skills and commitment is tantamount to the success of nation building.
We in the Red Cross could not do everything expected of us without our selfless, committed and competent volunteers. The volunteers are the force behind this great Red Cross Red Crescent Movement.