One Health Day 2024: Protecting humans, animals and the environment for a healthier world for all

Up to 75 per cent of emerging infectious diseases that affect human beings start in animals. These are called ‘zoonotic’ diseases, and they can spread to humans through direct contact with infected animals or through food, water or the environment. Recent high-profile diseases that have spread from animals to humans include COVID-19, Ebola and mpox.And when our environment is polluted or not looked after properly, it can cause health problems in both animals and humans. For example, there is evidence that global warming is leading to more favourable conditions for a specific type of mosquito which carries the dengue virus to reproduce and thrive, and is even pushing them to new areas and countries that have never experienced dengue before.Taking a ‘One Health’ approachOne Health is an approach to health care that recognizes these close links between human, animal and environmental health, and considers how they affect one another.It involves governments and organizations working in these different areas coming together to better prepare for and respond to health challenges, such as epidemics and pandemics.Through the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3), many Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are taking a One Health approach to help communities prepare for, prevent and respond to disease outbreaks. And they’re supporting government health, agriculture and environmental departments—as well as key partners—to collaborate using a One Health approach, too.Let’s take a look at some examples.Training DRC’s next generation of nurses to be on the lookout for zoonotic diseasesIn the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the DRC Red Cross runs nursing schools across the country whose students go on to work in both the country’s public and private health system. Through the CP3 programme, the DRC Red Cross developed a special One Health learning module, which they piloted in two schools in Kinshasa and Maluku.Final year nursing students who took part in the pilot learned all about the intersection of human-animal-environmental health. They learned case definitions for different types of zoonotic diseases—from rabies to chikungunya—and how to effectively engage their communities on the risks and prevention measures for each disease. And they learned the principles of community-based surveillance (CBS), enabling them to quickly sound the alarm when unusual health events occur.The DRC government was so impressed with the pilot, they intend to roll the training out nationally to every nursing school in the country, believing that the sooner nurses learn about One Health and how to work effectively with animal and environmental counterparts, the better for the country’s health security.Knowledge is power: raising community awareness of environmental and animal health risksThere are lots of simple steps communities can take to reduce disease risks linked to animals and the environment. Through the CP3 programme, National Societies are engaging and motivating communities to take action.For example, in Kenya, Red Cross volunteers are teaching people how to recognize the signs of anthrax—a serious and potentially deadly infectious disease that can spread from animals, usually livestock, to humans. They’re encouraging communities to avoid handling any animals that die in unusual circumstances, report any cases immediately to volunteers or animal health authorities, and thoroughly disinfect contaminated areas. They’re also supporting vaccination efforts to make sure people know when, where and why to vaccinate their animals—making breakthroughs even within remote and vaccine-hesitant communities.And in Indonesia, the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) runs regular clean-up events to help communities reduce the risks of dengue in their local environment. People come together to inspect and drain stagnant water reservoirs, properly cover and seal drinking water supplies, and sweep up litter and debris. These steps all minimize potential mosquito breeding sites. Teamed with personal protective measures, such as wearing mosquito repellent and using bed nets, these simple steps can greatly decrease the risk of catching dengue fever, and help families stay healthy.Bringing the government together for One Health action in GuineaThrough the CP3 programme, the Guinea Red Cross has been supporting the government at the national, regional and community level to adopt a One Health approach in order to strengthen the country’s health system.They’ve been facilitating regular meetings with government agencies and stakeholders working in human, animal and environmental health to discuss existing and emerging disease threats, plan vaccination campaigns for both human and animal populations, and collaborate on environmental management. For priority zoonotic diseases, such as rabies in particular, the Guinea Red Cross has been instrumental in informing and protecting communities, and rapidly alerting human and animal health authorities when a bite incident occurs.These are just a few of the many examples of how taking a One Health approach can lead to a healthier world. By working together to keep animals and our shared environment healthy, we can help humans to be healthier and safer, too.---The activities featured in this article are part of the multi-country Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3).  Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), CP3 has supported communities, Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and other partners in seven countries since 2018 to prepare for, prevent, detect and respond to disease threats. In October 2024, the programme is expanding to six new countries—Burundi, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Tajikistan, Thailand and Zambia—where it will continue to implement a One Health approach among National Societies, partners and governments.If you enjoyed this story and would like to learn more, sign up to the IFRC’s Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Newsletter 

Guinea Red Cross supports communities in the fight against rabies

Little Ousmane was at home in Faranah, central Guinea, when he noticed a stray dog outside. Curious and wanting to play, he approached the creature. But before he had time to react, the dog leapt up aggressively and bit him on the chest and hand.His grandfather alerted the local Guinea Red Cross volunteers, who arrived quickly to tend to Ousmane, wash out his wounds, and track down the dog for investigation. Thankfully, they were able to arrange for Ousmane to get the necessary health treatment. Lab testing later confirmed the dog had rabies, meaning that without the quick action from volunteers, Ousmane likely wouldn’t have survived.An incident like this is a parent’s worst nightmare and a common worry among communities in Guinea. But through theCommunity Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3), funded by USAID, the Guinea Red Cross is running different activities to reduce rabies risks and make sure deadly dog bites are a thing of the past.Raising community awarenessPreventing the spread of diseases like rabies relies on communities having accurate and trusted information on how they can stay safe.Guinea Red Cross volunteers, known and trusted by their communities, regularly go door-to-door, organize community meetings, and take part in local radio shows—educating people on rabies risks, how it’s spread, and how they can protect themselves.Through this engagement, communities learn the importance of reporting stray animals displaying unusual or aggressive behaviours and of looking out for signs of rabies within their own pets.Supporting vaccination campaignsVaccinating dogs is the most effective preventive measure for reducing the risk of rabies.But for a rabies vaccination drive to be successful, people in the community need to see the value of vaccinating their pets and—crucially—turn up in their droves on the day.That’s where the Guinea Red Cross comes in. While the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock provides the vaccines and veterinary staff to administer them, it’s Guinea Red Cross volunteers who drum up demand within communities and accompany people to their appointments.“Thanks to the vaccination campaign, which we heard about from Red Cross volunteers, our dogs are no longer a threat—they are healthy companions. It’s an act of responsibility for the security of everyone. Vaccinating dogs protects our community,”explains Mamadi Fofana, a traditional healer and hunter from Faranah who was convinced to vaccinate his dogs against rabies.Keeping tabs on the canine populationRabies vaccines don’t last forever, with animals requiring booster shots every 1-3 years to keep them rabies-free. So the Guinea Red Cross has set up a dog database to keep tabs on the canine population in Faranah.Volunteers track when and how many vaccine doses have been administered, and record owner details so they can reach out when it’s time for a booster.If a bite incident occurs, the database helps them to track down the owner to investigate and conduct further engagement around the importance of taking responsibility for their animals.The data is also used by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock so they know how many doses of vaccines are needed when planning dog vaccination drives.Bite response and community-based surveillanceWhen someone in Faranah is scratched or bitten by a potentially rabid animal, Guinea Red Cross volunteers are usually the first to hear about it and arrive on scene.Trained in epidemic control, they can provide crucial first aid. For suspected rabies, this involves vigorously washing out the wound with soap and water for 15 minutes and wrapping it in a clean bandage while awaiting emergency health care.Through a digital community-based surveillance system, calledNyss, volunteers quickly report bite incidents to their supervisors, who can then escalate the alert to local human, animal, and environmental health authorities for rapid investigation and treatment.Time is of the essence when someone is bitten. As the eyes and ears within local communities, Guinea Red Cross volunteers play a vital role in detecting and alerting suspected rabies cases early to maximize people’s chances of survival.The fight against rabies in Guinea is a marathon not a sprint. But with patient and continued engagement with local communities and strong collaboration with authorities in rapidly reporting and responding to bites, the Guinea Red Cross is supporting people in Faranah to stay safe and healthy from this deadly disease.---The activities featured in this article are part of the multi-countryCommunity Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3).Funded by theU.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), CP3 supports communities, Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and other partners to prepare for, prevent, detect and respond to disease threats.If you enjoyed this story and would like to learn more,sign up to the IFRC’s Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Newsletter.

World Immunization Week: Delivering vaccines and trustworthy information to communities around the world

A mother of four and restaurant owner from Dabola, in central Guinea, Diaraye says she felt scared about vaccines. She didn’t think she had enough information and she’d heard rumours about harmful side effects.Several health workers came to visit her to try and convince her to vaccinate her newborn, Madiou, but she still felt uneasy.That was until she met Bérété, a Guinea Red Cross supervisor with theCommunity Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3).A mother herself, Bérété connected with Diaraye and patiently explained how vaccinating her own children has kept them safe from diseases. She responded sensitively to Diaraye’s concerns.Newly informed and confident, Diaraye agreed for Bérété to take baby Madiou for his first immunizations. Since then, Diaraye has become a champion for vaccination within her community.“My advice to mothers is to agree to their children getting vaccinated," says Diaraye. "Since the Red Cross came to help me vaccinate my baby, I’ve seen that it’s good for children. And I tell all mothers to go and get their children vaccinated at the health centre.”A global story, playing out locally, house-by-houseDiaraya’s story is far from unique. People around the world often don’t have access to life-saving vaccines, do not have all the facts about how they work, or don’t know who they can trust to give them accurate and unbiased information.This is why trusted community organizations, like Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, are playing a critical role in reaching out at the local level, providing trustworthy information while enabling access to vaccines in places that are underserved by health services. In many cases, they are in the midst of ongoing emergencies.This year, World Immunization Week revolves around the theme of Humanly Possible, also the name of a global campaign to celebrate and build on the achievements made in protecting people from preventable diseases during the last 75 years.For its part, the IFRC is redoubling efforts to bring awareness and vaccines to people in vulnerable situations — conflict, outbreaks, forced migration, natural disaster — or who lack access to immunization services for whatever reason.The approach varies to meet the specific situation of each county. They also span the globe, from National Societies in Guinea, Afghanistan, Pakistan, andKyrgyzstan,and many others. Here are a few more examples of the ways Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are taking on a wide range of very different immunization challenges.Philippine Red Cross takes on another measles outbreakThe Philippine Red Cross Society (PRCS) has been supporting the government of ThePhilippinesin responding to a measles outbreak by vaccinating more than 15,000 children ages 6 months to below 10 years old with measles vaccine.As of April 14, 2024, the Philippine Red Cross has vaccinated more than 15,500 children, mobilizing a total of 131 volunteers (35 vaccinators and 96 support volunteers) in 85 communities in four provinces.The PRCS’ measles outbreak response is being donein collaboration with the ICRC, which also has a long-time presence in theBangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, an area where people are impacted by internal conflict. Because of low immunization rates in the area, It's also one of the main places in the country where the measles outbreak is happening.The PRCShas been part of other polio and measles outbreak responses and plans to expand this current operation by deploying vaccination teams from other chapters, with the help ofresources from the IFRC and the United States Center for Disease Control.Using innovation to improve access to immunization in ThailandThe Thai Red Cross Society (TRCS), meanwhile, has been using technology in innovative ways tobring immunization services to people who would not otherwise have access to immunization services.In Thailand, many displaced people and undocumented residents are living without proper forms of identification required to access vaccination services. To address the health gap, TRCS partnered with the Department of Disease Control of the Ministry of Public Health and Thailand’s National Electronics and Computer Technology Center to develop the Thai Red Cross Biometric Authentication System.This system uses a biometric authentication system, using face and iris recognition technology — while still ensuring data privacy — to accurately identify and register vaccine recipients.This allows people without official documentation to still receive vaccines and it enables a way to keep a record of the vaccinations received.Using this technology, TRCS reached 20,000 adolescent girls (specifically ethnic minorities, migrants, and refugees) living in temporary shelters across the country with 40,000 doses of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. This helped to significantly decrease their chances of getting HPV, a major, but vaccine-preventable cause of cervical cancer.If this can be expanded, more displaced persons and undocumented residents can be assured to have access to their next essential vaccine, such as a booster shot.Local presence, ready to prevent and respondOver the long term, immunization campaigns are only fully effective if they are of high quality and result in high rates of coverage. The challenge now is to improve and strengthen routine immunisation to better prevents future outbreaks, while also ensuring there is capacity in place to respond quickly and engage communities — if and when outbreaks occur.This is why the work of National Societies is so critical. As national organizations with widespread local presence, they are ideally suited to work with local and national health authorities and communities to build trust while delivering consistent access to immunization. The video below shows how the Pakistan Red Crescent brings immunization through local clinics.Back in Guinea, Red Cross volunteer Bérété continues to visit Diaraye to make sure her son Madiou is doing well, as part of her work engaging members of her community on how to protect themselves and their families.“We keep supporting her, because every time I send her child to hospital to be vaccinated, I never forget to follow up,”explains Bérété. “Every morning I come to see her to check on the child. Because you can’t just vaccinate a child and leave without following up. If she can see that you are there for her at all times, she will have the courage” to keep up with necessary immunizations in the future.

Deadly heatwave in the Sahel and West Africa would have been impossible without human-caused climate change

The recent deadly heatwave in the Sahel and West Africa with temperatures above 45°C would not have been possible without human-caused climate change, according to rapid analysis by an international team of leading climate scientists from theWorld Weather Attributiongroup.In late March and early this April, extreme heat impacted countries in the Sahel and West Africa. The hottest temperature occurred on April 3, when Mali recorded 48.5°C. In Bamako, the Gabriel-Toure Hospital announced a surge in excess deaths, with 102 deaths over the first four days of April.Around half were over the age of 60 and the hospital reports that heat likely played a role in many of the deaths. A lack of data in the countries affected makes it impossible to know how many people were killed, however it’s likely there were hundreds or possibly thousands of other heat-related deaths.“Year-round heat is part of life in the Sahel and regions of West Africa," said Kiswendsida Guigma, Climate Scientist at the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre in Burkina Faso. "However, the extreme temperatures were unprecedented in many places and the surge in excess deaths reported by the Gabriel-Toure Hospital in Mali highlighted just how dangerous the heat was.“For some, a heatwave being 1.4 or 1.5°C hotter because of climate change might not sound like a big increase. But this additional heat would have been the difference between life and death for many people.”Climate change, caused by burning fossil fuels like oil, coal and gas, and other human activities, is making heatwaves more frequent, longer and hotter around the world. To quantify the effect of human-caused warming on the extreme temperatures in the Sahel and West Africa, scientists analysed weather data and climate models to compare how these types of events have changed between today’s climate, with approximately 1.2°C of global warming, and the cooler pre-industrial climate using peer-reviewed methods.The analysis looked at the five-day average of maximum daily temperatures in two areas: one that includes southern regions of Mali and Burkina Faso, where the heat was most extreme, and a larger area including regions of Niger, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Guinea, where temperatures were widely above 40°C.To investigate hot night time temperatures, which can be dangerous when the human body cannot rest and recover, the researchers also analysed the five-day average of minimum temperatures for the Mali and Burkina Faso region.The scientists found that both the daytime and nighttime heatwaves, across both regions, would have been impossible if humans had not warmed the planet by burning fossil fuels like oil, coal and gas, and with other activities like deforestation. Climate change made the maximum temperatures 1.5°C hotter and the nighttime temperatures 2°C hotter for the Burkina Faso and Mali region, and the five-day daytime temperatures for the wider region 1.4°C hotter.A heatwave like the recent one is still relatively rare, even in today’s climate with 1.2°C of warming, the researchers found. Across the wider West Africa region, similarly high daytime temperatures can be expected about once every 30 years. However, daytime temperatures like those experienced in Mali and Burkina Faso, where heat-related fatalities were reported, are expected around once in every 200 years.More common, more dangerousBut events like these will become much more common, and even more dangerous, unless the world moves away from fossil fuels and countries rapidly reduce emissions to net zero. If global warming reaches 2°C, as is expected to occur in the 2040s or 2050s unless emissions are rapidly halted, similar events will occur 10 times more frequently.The researchers also quantified the possible influence of El Niño on the heat, but found that its effect was not significant when compared with the influence of human-caused climate change.The study highlights factors that worsened the impacts of the heat across the region. The heat occurred at the end of Ramadan when many Muslim people fast during the day. The Sahel region has a large Muslim population and while high temperatures are common in April, the researchers say the relentless day and nighttime heat would have been overwhelming for many people who were abstaining from food and water.They also note that conflict, poverty, limited access to safe drinking water, rapid urbanisation and strained health systems likely worsened the impacts.Heat action plans that set out emergency responses to dangerous heat are extremely effective at reducing heat-related deaths during heatwaves. However, neither Burkina Faso or Mali have one in place. Given the increasing risk of dangerous heat in the Sahel and West Africa, the researchers say developing heat action plans will help to save lives and lessen the burden of extreme heat on health systems.Finally, the researchers say the Gabriel-Toure Hospital’s rapid reporting of heat-related deaths was a valuable illustration of the dangers of extreme heat that would have likely acted as an effective warning for people in the region.The study was conducted by 19 researchers as part of the World Weather Attribution group, including scientists from universities, organisations and meteorological agencies in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Switzerland, Sweden, South Africa, The Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.For further information, media may contact:Andrew Thomas, IFRC Senior Media Officer, Media RelationsMob: +41 76 367 6587

Empress Shôken Fund announces grants for 2023

The Empress Shôken Fund (ESF) is named after Her Majesty Empress Shôken of Japan who – at the 9th International Conference of the Red Cross – proposed the creation of an international fund to promote relief work in peacetime. The fund is administered by the Joint Commission of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which maintains close contact with the Permanent Mission of Japan in Geneva, the Japanese Red Cross Society and the Meiji Jingu Intercultural Research Institute in Japan. The imperial family, the Japanese government, the Japanese Red Cross and the Japanese people revere the memory of Her Majesty Empress Shôken, and their enduring regard for the Fund is evidenced by the regularity of their contributions to it. The Fund has a total value of more than 14 million Swiss francs and supports projects run by National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies that benefit the communities they serve in many different ways. The first grant was awarded in 1921 to help five European National Societies fight the spread of tuberculosis. Since then, more than15 million Swiss francs have been allocated to 171 National Societies. The grants are announced every year on 11April, the anniversary of the death of Her Majesty Empress Shôken. Increasingly, the Fund encourages new and innovative approaches with the potential to generate insights that will benefit our International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. 2023 selection process The Fund received 51 applications in 2022 for the 102nd distribution of income, covering a diverse range of humanitarian projects run by National Societies globally. The applications submitted featured more innovative proposals than in previous years, further confirming the need for the ESF to support innovation and experimentation within National Societies. This year the Joint Commission agreed to allocate a total of 367,187 Swiss francs to 13 projects in Albania, Belgium, Burundi, Eswatini, Fiji, Guinea, Honduras, Indonesia, Paraguay, Sudan, Syria, Thailand and Uruguay. The world’s current crises have impacted the performance of the fund, and ESF Joint Commission members have adjusted the process accordingly. This year the projects selected cover a variety of topics, including first aid and rescue, youth, disaster preparedness, health, and National Society development (NSD). The 2023 grants by theme The Fund continues to encourage new and innovative approaches, and this is clearly reflected in the selection of proposals to receive funding. Some National Societies are incubating and testing their innovative solutions and experimenting with a host of ideas and approaches. With their pilot methodology, they could potentially scale up and implement their initiatives with the support of other funding sources.In this category, the selected grantees are as follows: Pilot methodology The Honduran Red Cross has taken an innovative approach to volunteer empowerment and engagement. The goal of its project is to establish a fund that supports innovative micro-projects developed and led by local volunteers. This will help forge stronger links between the National Society and the communities it serves. It has designed a pilot with 12 micro-projects, responding to an identified need to grow activity at the branch level. The Uruguayan Red Cross is focusing efforts on improving mental health resilience among young people by providing training in schools, creating psychosocial support mechanisms and forming youth brigades. There is a growing need for youth mental health support, and this pilot in two schools will give the team an opportunity to learn and adapt their approach. The Indonesian Red Cross Society will pilot a community-based approach to environmental awareness and food security. A renovated community learning centre will be used to launch the pilot, which will engage over 100 stay-at-home spouses and 30 children. The project aims to tackle emerging issues, such as climate change, while building stronger community connections. Many National Societies have prioritized innovative solutions to combat the challenges of climate change. In this category, the selected beneficiaries, in addition to the Indonesian Red Cross Society, are as follows. Climate change Flooding is one of the most devastating natural hazards. The Belgian Red Cross will engage and empower young people impacted by floods to express and share their feelings on climate change through digital story telling. Simple to replicate and scalable, this initiative has the potential to give us tremendous insight and allow for powerful messages to be shared. As a means of addressing the challenges of climate change, the Burundi Red Cross will engage in implementing activities such as tree planting and promoting improved city waste management. The project is a youth volunteer-led initiative that will reduce youth unemployment. This comprehensive approach will result in significant learning opportunities. The Paraguayan Red Cross will develop a mobile app that will serve as an early warning system and educate communities on how they can respond to flooding in seven community districts. This solution is scalable, innovative and a sustainable approach to addressing community needs. Finally, the last group of beneficiaries will use their grants to address issues related to disaster preparedness, health and youth. In this category, the selected grantees are as follows. Disaster preparedness The Baphalali Eswatini Red Cross Society will improve data management processes for effective decision-making during emergencies in Eswatini by 2025. The main idea is to integrate and mainstream a mobile phone app dashboard into the existing National Society information management system and increase community participation (affected communities) in information sharing and management. Thailand is prone to natural hazards, which often cause devastating damage and loss of lives. Therefore, the Thai Red Cross Society aims to improve disaster readiness, mainly for earthquakes, by training children and young people using virtual reality simulation. The Sudanese Red Crescent will use the funds to support flood-affected women, providing them with cash, grants and livelihood tools to allow them to start their own business. The aim is to build resilience and longer-term recovery contexts for current and future crises by empowering the most vulnerable in a self-sustaining way. Health The Red Cross Society of Guinea will focus on developing a mobile health app to comprehensively improve the quality of basic emergency obstetric and neonatal care, especially for complex deliveries, with a view to reducing maternal and newborn mortality. Youth According to figures on human trafficking, Albania is a primary source country and the non-EU European country with the second highest number of victims. To address this threat, the Albanian Red Cross will use the grant to train staff and volunteers, with a view to activating peer-to-peer prevention in high schools. The National Society will reach out to other sister National Societies to build a strong network of certified trainers who will raise awareness through peer-to-peer activities. The Fiji Red Cross Society aims to overhaul its current volunteer programme, using the grant to implement end-to-end digitization to enhance the onboarding experience and increase the quality and cost-effectiveness of volunteer management. The idea is to also include community-level training that will generate meaningful learning and be easily replicable elsewhere. At present, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent has more than 18,000 staff and volunteers across its local branches who support it in carrying out its humanitarian mission. With a view to scaling up branch development by complementing other initiatives, the National Society will use the grant to digitize its policies for online courses that can be freely accessed at any time, making training more convenient for its network of staff and volunteers. ESF and learning The Fund constantly strives to generate insights from the projects implemented for the benefit of the whole Movement and to diversify its learning materials. Later this year, the Fund will join with the stakeholders of the other NSD funding mechanisms, namely the Capacity Building Fund (CBF) and the National Society Investment Alliance (NSIA),for a learning event, with the aim of sharing lessons learned and experiences from grantees across the different funds. It is important to recognize the diversity of National Societies within the network and the wide range of NSD support that is needed. The ESF and the other funding mechanisms (which focus more on NSD) operate in a complementary way, and togethertheyhave the capacity to meet this array of NSD and learning needs and support a broader transformation in our network.

National Society Investment Alliance: Funding announcement 2022

The National Society Investment Alliance (NSIA) is a pooled funding mechanism, run jointly by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). It provides flexible, multi-year funding to support the long-term development of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies—particularly those in complex emergencies and protracted crisis—so they can increase the reach and impact of their humanitarian services. The NSIA can award up to one million CHF of accelerator funding to any one National Society over a five-year period. In addition, bridge grants of up to 50,000 CHF over 12 months can help National Societies prepare the ground for future investment from the NSIA or from elsewhere. This year, the NSIA is pleased to announce that the following six National Societies have been selected for accelerator funding in 2022: Burundi Red Cross Kenya Red Cross Society Malawi Red Cross Society Russian Red Cross Society Syrian Arab Red Crescent Zambia Red Cross Society These National Societies will receive a significant investment of up to one million CHF, to be used over a maximum of five years, to help accelerate their journey towards long-term sustainability. Three of these National Societies (Syria, Malawi and Zambia) previously received NSIA bridge awards, proving once again the relevance of the fund’s phased approach towards sustainable development. In addition, 14 other National Societies will receive up to 50,000 CHF in bridge funding: Benin, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Nicaragua, Palestine, Panama, Rwanda, Sierra Leone. In total, the NSIA will allocate 5.4 million CHF to 20 different National Societies this year. This is more than double the funds allocated in 2021 and represents the largest annual allocation since the NSIA’s launch in 2019. This landmark allocation is made possible thanks to the generous support from the governments of Switzerland, the United States, Canada and Norway, and from the Norwegian and Netherlands’ National Societies. Both the ICRC and IFRC have also strongly reinforced their commitment, by allocating 10 million CHF and 2 million CHF respectively over the coming years. The Co-chairs of the NSIA Steering Committee, Xavier Castellanos, IFRC Under-Secretary General for National Society Development and Operations Coordination, and Olivier Ray, ICRC Director for Mobilization, Movement and Partnership, said: “We are pleased to have been able to select 20 National Societies’ initiatives for funding by the NSIA in 2022. Our vision and plans are becoming a reality. We see Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies operating in fragile contexts accessing funds for sustainably developing to deliver and scale up their humanitarian services. This is localization in action and at scale. It is particularly encouraging to see that the NSIA’s two-stage approach, with initial funds providing a springboard to help National Societies prepare for increased investment aimed at achieving sustained impact on the organization and vulnerable communities, is working. We hope to see many more National Societies planning and following this journey. 2022 will be remembered as a milestone for the NSIA. Our ambition is to maintain this momentum and continue to grow in the years to come. We see this mechanism as a valuable and strategic lever to support National Societies in fragile and crisis settings to undertake their journey towards sustainable development.” For more information, please click here to visit the NSIA webpage.

Red Cross Society of Guinea

Ebola: Red Cross intensifies response amidst fears of regional spread

Conakry/Nairobi/Geneva, 22 February 2021 – Red Cross teams in Guinea and across West Africa are ramping up response efforts to contain a deadly Ebola outbreak. Red Cross volunteers and staff Guinea, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Senegal and Sierra Leone have stepped up surveillance and community sensitization efforts. To support these live saving activities, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has issued an international emergency appeal for 8.5 million Swiss francs. MohammedMukhier, the IFRC’s Regional Director for Africa said: “Ebola does not care about borders. Close social, cultural and economic ties between communities in Guinea and neighbouring countries create a very serious risk of the virus spreading to Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire and Sierra Leone, and potentially even further. “That’s why we are launching an integrated cross-border operation aimed at rapidly confining the outbreak to its current location—and swiftly containing any eventual outbreak beyond Guinea.” In Guinea, Red Cross teams in N’zérékoré were mobilized to conduct safe and dignified burials for two people who were killed by Ebola. They also disinfected a local hospital and started efforts to create broad community awareness about the return of the disease in the urban areas of N'Zérékoré and in Gouécké. There are an estimated 1.3 million people living in the health zone affected by the outbreak. The Guinea Red Cross and IFRC plan aims to support about 420,000 of them with a range of services, including community sensitization, community-based surveillance, water, sanitation and hygiene, safe and dignified burials, infection prevention and control, as well as psychosocial support. In surrounding countries, Red Cross actions will target an additional 6 million people. In Sierra Leone, a network 200 Red Cross volunteers in Kambia and Kailahun are now on high alert and are conducting surveillance activities. In addition, an alert was sent to the four other districts (Kono, Koinadugu, Western Area and Pujehun) bordering Guinea and Liberia, where an additional 100 volunteers are preparing social community awareness activities. In Liberia, in areas along the borders with Guinea, Red Cross volunteers are on high alert and are currently conducting awareness in communities. The most at-risk areas include Bong, Lofa, Nimba, Cape Mount, and Gbarpolu counties. Liberia Red Cross will be sending Personal Protective Equipment to the region. In Mali, Red Cross teams will provide services such as surveillance and community sensitization. The Senegalese Red Cross is beefing up surveillance efforts at border points, while ramping up community awareness activities. In addition to enacting community response, surveillance and sensitization activities, Red Cross teams are also concerned about the needs being created by localized efforts to limit movements in a bid to contain the outbreak. As a result of these public health measures, people near the epicentre are already in need of water, sanitation and hygiene services as well as food assistance. IFRC’s Mukhier said: “This outbreak is likely to complicate an already challenging situation. COVID-related containment measures currently being implemented have exacerbated food insecurity in the region and this may lead to the reluctance of communities to respect new preventive measures that are being put in place to contain Ebola.”

Ebola outbreak in Guinea: Red Cross calls for a response that is “faster than the virus”

Conakry/Nairobi/Geneva, 15 February 2021 –A network of more than 700 trained Red Cross volunteers has been activated as part of a first wave of response to the new Ebola outbreak in the rural community of Gouéké in Guinea’s N’Zerekoreprefecture. Drawing from theirexperienceduringthe2014–2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak,theRed Crossteams are rushing to contain further spread of the virus. MohammedMukhier, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ (IFRC) Regional Director for Africa said: “Time is of the essence.The resurgence of the virus inGuineacomes at the worst possible time whenthe country isalreadyfacing theCOVID-19pandemic.There are reasons for fear, but there are also reasons for hope.While we are extremely concerned, we are also reassured bythelessons we learned from previous outbreaks, and by recent medical advances.” More than 11,000 people were killed duringthe worst-everEbola outbreak in history in 2014-2016. Mukhier said: “We need a response that is faster than the virus itself. Unless the response is swift, the health, economic and social impacts are likely to be immense for millions of peoplein a country witha relatively weak healthsystem, andwheremore than half of the population lives below the poverty line.” In response to this new outbreak, the IFRC and Guinea Red Cross have activated their “epidemicpreparedness and response network”in the country.Through thissystem, Red Cross teamshavebeen helping communities prepare and prevent the spread of diseases. Red Crossvolunteerswill provide services such as, contact tracing, psychosocial support, water, sanitation and hygiene and—if needed—safe burials. Guinea Red Cross has almost 2,500 volunteers across the country which gives it extraordinary reach into communities.