International Day of Epidemic Preparedness 2024: Early detection, early action, healthier communities

Epidemics and pandemics are some of the biggest threats to a safe and healthy world. They are on the rise, and in today’s connected world, they are spreading further and faster than ever before.  Known epidemics—such as cholera, measles, Ebola, and malaria—continue to threaten large parts of the world’s population. And, as we saw with COVID-19, the world is also at risk from new infectious diseases that can claim millions of lives, bring health systems to their knees, and reverse decades of development progress. But the good news is that with effective preparedness and response measures, we can reduce the impacts of epidemics and pandemics and even stop them in their tracks.  The IFRC and our member National Societies have long focused on helping people prepare for, respond to, and recover from health emergencies. Born in the wake of the 1918 influenza pandemic, at the IFRC we know from experience that communities can be the first line of defence against epidemics and pandemics when equipped with the right knowledge, behaviours, skills, and tools.   Through global programmes—such as the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3) with USAID and the Programmatic Partnership with the European Union—we’ve been engaging and training people worldwide in epidemic and pandemic preparedness and response for many years. We help people prevent, detect and quickly respond to outbreaks—saving countless lives and building healthier, more resilient communities. Stepping up our efforts in 2024In 2024, the IFRC significantly stepped up our work in epidemic and pandemic preparedness:With support from the World Bank’s Pandemic Fund, and in collaboration with key national and international partners, IFRC was selected to launch two new regional epidemic preparedness programmes. In Africa, the Preparedness for Pandemic Response (PREPARE) programme will strengthen cross-border collaboration, disease surveillance and health systems in East and Central Africa to address health challenges such as the ongoing mpox epidemic. And in Asia Pacific, the Enhancing collaborative surveillance and diagnostic readiness for pandemic preparedness and response in South-East Asia Region will improve early warning and disease surveillance systems, laboratory systems and community health workforce capacity across eight countries.With USAID support, we were delighted to expand the CP3 programme this year into 11 new countries—Burundi, Cambodia, Ivory Coast, Laos, Malawi, Malaysia, Philippines, Tajikistan, Thailand, Vietnam and Zambia—to prepare even more communities for epidemics and pandemics.Together, these new commitments take the total number of countries where IFRC is directly supporting epidemic preparedness programmes up to 48. This figure doesn’t include the great work being done at the national level by many more Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies around the world.Trusted, local, and always thereAs trusted local actors embedded in their communities and permanently present in areas other organizations cannot reach, National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are best placed to support community-level epidemic and pandemic preparedness. The IFRC works to strengthen National Societies’ ability to prepare for and respond to epidemics through training, technical assistance, advocacy support and coordination. Together, we also engage a wide range of stakeholders in epidemic and pandemic preparedness—such as governments, religious leaders, businesses and the media—because we know that all parts of society need to come together to keep people safe from epidemics and pandemics. The time to prepare is nowCOVID-19 was a wake-up call to the world to prepare now for the next health crisis. The pandemic claimed millions of lives and revealed major gaps in epidemic and pandemic preparedness around the world.The IFRC network is doing essential work right now to prepare communities for the next pandemic. But more investment is needed globally to strengthen health systems and ensure societies are prepared for an increasingly hazardous world.--To stay up to date with the IFRC’s work in epidemic and pandemic preparedness, sign up to our monthly newsletter which features highlights from Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies around the world.And for practical epidemic preparedness resources, check out our Epidemic Control Toolkit—available in multiple languages—for guidance on evidence-based methods to prevent and control the spread of epidemics at the community-level.

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 

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.

‘Anonymous Clinic’ offers safe haven and caretakers who understand

While Thai culture is relatively open in terms of gender identity, transgender people in Thailand continue to face discrimination and exclusion in many aspects of life. Health care is no exception. “The topic of gender diversity isn’t widely discussed [in Thailand]”, says Piglet, a transgender woman who lives in Bangkok. “Sometimes I’m not able to talk to anyone about it because it makes me feel nervous”. Piglet (not her real name) is a client at the Thai Red Cross Anonymous Clinic, a health centre in the heart of Bangkok designed to help people get health services without fear of being identified or of feeling stigmatized because of her gender or sexual identity. Understanding the challenges The goal is to create an environment where transgender individuals can openly discuss hormone treatment, sexual orientation, and other related issues with healthcare providers who understand their needs and what they are going through. Because transgender people often confront discrimination or a lack of understanding of the unique health needs, they often experience physical, mental and emotional stress when seeking out care. This is especially true during public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic, according to recent health studies. In some circumstances, this anxiety may prevent people from getting care or lead them to avoid seeking care. The Thai Red Cross Society has long been dedicated to reaching out to marginalized communities, including transgender people and men who have sex with men, in their efforts to combat HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Services for optimal health The Anonymous Clinic offers a wide range of services, including counselling, testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, hormone monitoring, gender-affirming hormone therapy, neovagina examination, anal cancer screening, and Hepatitis A/B vaccination. “The main mission of the Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre (Anonymous Clinic) is to provide effective prevention measures, widely known as PreP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), and PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis)”, explains Chanin Suksom, a psychologist at the Anonymous Clinic. “The health services we provide represent an equal opportunity to everyone at a very low cost”. While the clinic was initially established in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, it now plays a critical role in providing gender-affirming services and improving the overall well-being of transgender individuals. “During the past year, we assisted approximately 360 transgender clients, from which over 200 of them accessed services for free”, says Suksom. By offering a comprehensive range of services and fostering a safe and inclusive environment, the Anonymous Clinic empowers transgender individuals to take control of their health and well-being. “People who have come to the clinic for the first time are usually reluctant to talk about their stories. So, we ask informal open-ended questions”, explains Naiyapak Chaipun, a counsellor at the Anonymous Clinic who is herself transgender. “We sometimes chat in a very casual way. We encourage them to take things step by step without forcing them”, she says. For people like Piglet, the Anonymous Clinic has become a safe haven, where people can learn how to better take care of themselves. “I brought my friends to the Anonymous Clinic because they feel shy, and it reminds me of my own experience when I felt frustrated and didn’t know where to go”, she describes. “I think the Anonymous Clinic is a great place for transgender people to access health services. A place where we can love ourselves and where we can learn how to keep ourselves healthy in the long run”. -- This story was produced and originally published by the Red Cross Red Crescent Magazine. To learn about the Magazine, and to read more stories like this,click here.

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.

Millions of people in Asia living in stagnant water at risk of facing deadly diseases

Kuala Lumpur, 27 October 2022 – After unprecedented floods continue to hit many parts of Asia, dangerous un-subsiding flood waters are now the crisis, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warns. Men, women, and children are being forced to live out their day-to-day lives in dirty, stagnated water, and are at risk of deadly diseases such as malaria, dengue, cholera, and diarrhoea, not to mention long-term harmful effects to their bodies. This year's monsoon season in the region saw more than 42 million people being severely hit by floods, landslides, and torrential rains since August. Moreover, this number only includes records from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam, Lao, and Cambodia. Erratic and early rains triggered often unprecedented floods, damaging homes, livestock, infrastructure and more. Many weeks later, the flood waters have not receded. Joy Singhal, IFRC’s Regional Head, Health, Disasters, Climate and Crisis, said: “Stagnation of water, muck and mud following floods is a thriving breeding ground for mosquitoes, bacteria, and other harmful organisms. If left unattended to, this will trigger surges in infectious diseases. “Prolonged water stagnation also causes lasting damage to water supplies and infrastructure, threatening the health of communities long into the future.” Flood waters bring in substantial amounts of dirt and garbage into homes, schools, and infrastructure. Even if some volume of the water dissipates, torrential rain continues, and the waters rise again. Many people have resorted to staying longer in shelters than usual. Emergency shelters have had to be relocated numerous times due to rising waters. Some areas, especially in South Asia, reported that the water took almost two months to subside, while most took weeks. This also poses the threat of being infected with COVID-19, as evacuation sites are often crowded and without proper ventilation. Alexander Matheou, IFRC’s Asia Pacific Regional Director, said: “Our teams across the region are reporting grave concerns for communities now facing the often-unseen crisis that follows in the wake of such devastating floods. "Across the length and breadth of Asia, our health and relief teams are reporting severe repercussions of stagnating waters. People have nowhere to go and are forced to live in dangerous conditions. “These unmoving waters pose a huge hindrance to communities relocating back to their homes, and therefore prolongs displacement. Not to mention devastating impacts to livestock, agriculture, shelter repairs and further increasing economic hardships, eventually preventing them from heading back to lead normal lives.” The IFRC have launched emergency appeals multiple times this year to support Red Cross Red Crescent activities across the region for the humanitarian issues arising from the floods, with a focus on immediate needs like providing shelters, relief and medical care. To arrange an interview, get access to audio-visuals, or for more information, contact: In Kuala Lumpur: Afrhill Rances, +60 19 271 3641, [email protected] Rachel Punitha, +60 19 791 3830, [email protected]

Thailand: Nearly 1 million people hit by floods amid COVID surge 

Kuala Lumpur/Bangkok, 8 October, 2021–Nearly one million people across Thailand are struggling to cope with devastating floods that have submerged large areas in more than a third of the country. Around 300,000 houses have been affected by the flooding and nine people are reported to have lost their lives according to the Thai GovernmentDepartment of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, in what is being described as the worst floods in a decade in parts of Thailand. Thai Red Cross teams are stretched to the limit, providing clean water and food, while trying to keep people safe from COVID-19 and ramping up critical vaccination drives across the country. Dr Amnat Bali, Director of Relief and Community Health Bureau, Thai Red Cross, said: “What we’ve seen in Lopburi, Singburi and other areas north of Bangkok is that people are expecting to live with the flood waters for several weeks. “Our volunteers and emergency teams have been working nonstop since the floods began, providing food, and other relief supplies to thousands of people, but we need to support many more as hundreds of thousands of people have flooded homes. “As soon as the floods subside, we are working alongside local health authorities to ramp up COVID-19 vaccinations for older people, migrant workers and others most vulnerable.” The Thai Red Cross Society disaster response teams have delivered more than 52,000 relief kits with food, water, medicines, sanitary pads, mosquito repellents, cloth masks and hand sanitizers in 20 provinces. Thai Red Cross Society’s boats and an evacuation truck have been rescuing people and providing relief. Kathryn Clarkson, Southeast Asia Head of Delegation, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said: “These floods come at a difficult time for people already grappling with multiple crises particularly the tragic health and economic toll of COVID-19. “People need long term support as their ability to recover is stretched while still trying to cope with the impacts of COVID-19. Thai people are resilient, however this is the first time they are adapting to two major crises at the same time.” For more information or to arrange an interview, contact: In Bangkok: Preeti Abraham,+66 61 412 3910 [email protected] In Kuala Lumpur: Antony Balmain,+60 12 230 8451 [email protected] About IFRC IFRC is the world’s largest humanitarian network, comprising 192 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies working to save lives and promote dignity around the world. www.ifrc.org-Facebook-Twitter-YouTube

COVID-19: Southeast Asia battles world’s highest deaths

Kuala Lumpur/Geneva, 18 August 2021:Southeast Asia is battling the world’s highest COVID-19 death toll driven by the Delta variant and unequal global distribution of vaccines. Hospitals remain overwhelmed by record surges across Southeast Asia, from Vietnam to Malaysia and Myanmar as fears mount of greater suffering and loss of life with COVID-19 spreading from cities to rural and regional areas. In the last two weeks, Southeast Asia has recorded38,522 deaths from COVID-19, nearly twice as many as North America, according to theJohn Hopkins UniversityCOVID-19 data dashboard. Alexander Matheou, Asia Pacific Director, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said: “This COVID-19 surge driven by the Delta variant is claiming a tragic toll on families across Southeast Asia and it’s far from over. We fear that as the virus spreads from cities to regional and rural areas that many more lives will be lost among the unvaccinated. “Vaccinations are at record rates in some countries, yet many Southeast Asian nations have low portions of the population fully vaccinated and are languishing far behind Western Europe and North America.” The United Kingdom has fully vaccinated 60 per cent of its population, while Canada and Spain stand at around 64 per cent, according to Oxford University’sOur World in Data. By contrast, Malaysia has fully vaccinated 34 per cent of its population against COVID-19, Indonesia and Philippines, close to 11 per cent and Vietnam less than 2 per cent. Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and most Southeast Asia countries are all battling record COVID-19 infections or death tolls. Seven of the top 10 countries where COVID-19 deaths have doubled the fastest are in Asia and the Pacific, with Vietnam, Fiji and Myanmar all in the top five, according toOur World in Data. “In the short-term, we need much greater efforts by richer countries to urgently share their millions of excess vaccine doses with countries in Southeast Asia. We also need vaccine companies and governments to share technology and scale up production,”Mr Matheou said. “These coming weeks are critical for scaling up treatment, testing and vaccinations, in every corner of all countries in Southeast Asia. We must aim for mass vaccination rates of 70-80 per cent if we want to win the race against the variants and overcome this global pandemic.” Until vaccination levels reach a critical mass, in the short-term it is also crucial to reinforce health protection measures, such as wearing a mask, physical distance and meeting outdoors or in well ventilated spaces. The IFRC is seeking vital funding for its global emergency COVID-19 appeal, with around 60% of the appeal covered so far. The funds are crucial to support the lifesaving actions of the IFRC and member Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies around the world. Photos of Red Cross and Red Crescent activities are available for download

South East Asia: COVID-19 vaccine divide widens as Delta surges

Kuala Lumpur/Jakarta/Geneva, 13 July 2021:A deadly wave of COVID-19 fuelled by the Delta variant is crashing into South East Asia as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies warns of a widening global vaccine divide. Countries across South East Asia from Indonesia to Thailand, Malaysia and Myanmar are facing hospitals full and overwhelmed while many race to roll out vaccines. Around 10,000 COVID-19 infections are being recorded in Thailand a day, more than four times a month ago, while deaths have also reached record highs. Infections in Viet Nam have surged past 2,000 a day, close to 10 times more than in early June. Richer countries such as the United Kingdom have fully vaccinated more than half their populations. Viet Nam has fully vaccinated less than 1 per cent, Thailand around 5 per cent and Indonesia 5.5 per cent, according toOxford University’s COVID-19 Our World in Data. Alexander Matheou Asia Pacific Director, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said: “Millions of people in Asia are living on the cruel and sharp edge of a global vaccine divide between richer countries that have a steady supply and most nations in Asia that are struggling to access sufficient doses to keep their populations safe. “There is mounting evidence that COVID-19 vaccinations are already saving tens of thousands of lives around the world.” Across Asia, thousands of Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers are racing to vaccinate people alongside health authorities, yet vaccinations are struggling to keep pace with the variants and the spread of the virus. “It is encouraging that a number of richer countries have made generous pledges and donations of vaccines to countries in Asia in recent weeks,” said Mr Matheou. “We need to speed up the delivery of these lifesaving doses so that we can get them in to people’s arms, giving us a genuine shot at containing this pandemic once and for all.” The IFRC is seeking vital funding for its global emergency COVID-19 appeal, with around 60 per cent of the appeal covered so far. The funds are crucial to support the lifesaving actions of the IFRC and member Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies around the world.

Thai Red Cross Society

Eight hundred thousand masks to help protect migrant workers from COVID-19

Kuala Lumpur/Bangkok, 23 June 2020:Nearly a million masks are being provided to migrant workers, village health volunteers and other frontline workers as part of a new initiative to protect people at risk from COVID-19 in Thailand. An estimated 80 million migrant workers in Asia are particularly vulnerable amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with many missing out on support because they are undocumented and therefore largely invisible to authorities and humanitarian organisations. Thailand is a significant regional migration hub in South-East Asia and currently hosts an estimated four million migrant workers. Most of these migrant workers come from neighbouring countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. Migrants work in a range of sectors including construction, fisheries, agriculture, hospitality, and domestic work. Thai Red Cross Society will be supporting 400,000 people by providing protective equipment to migrant workers, including reusable cloth face masks, alcohol gel and information materials. Migrant workers under quarantine will also receive relief kits including food and personal hygiene items. Mr. Pichit Siriwan, M.D., Deputy Director of the Relief and Community Health Bureau, Thai Red Cross Society, as Chairman of the project said:“This project isencouraging people to wear masks to protect themselves from the COVID-19 outbreak in Thailand. Cloth face masks can prevent wearers from transmitting or being in contact with COVID-19. Theobjectives are to protect and help migrants and their families in accordance with humanitarian principles and to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19 in Thailand." Mr Christopher Rassi, Head of Delegation, Bangkok, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said: “Migrants, especially those who are undocumented, face daily challenges which are further exacerbated by the health and socio-economic impacts of this pandemic. Red Cross is supporting migrant workers, who are some of the most vulnerable people in our communities and it’s vital that everyone can be safe from COVID-19.” Through this initiative the Thai Red Cross Society is working with IFRC, the Internatioanl Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), UNICEF, and the Migrant Working Group, Thailand. This major collaboration is being launched in Samut Sakhon province, where many migrants live and work south west of Bangkok. IFRC is supporting Thai Red Cross to assist migrant workers and other COVID-19 initiatives through its Global Emergency Appeal.

Empress Shôken Fund announces grants for 2019

About the Fund The Empress Shôken Fundis named after Her Majesty The Empress of Japan, who proposed – at the 9th International Conference of the Red Cross – the creation of an international fund to promote relief work in peacetime. It is administered by the Joint Commission of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross, which maintains close contact with the Japanese Permanent Mission in Geneva, the Japanese Red Cross Society and the Meiji Jingu Research Institute in Japan. The Fund has a total value of over 15 million Swiss francsand supports projects run by National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to benefit their communities in various ways. The first grant was awarded in 1921, to help five European National Societies fight the spread of tuberculosis. The Fund has assisted more than 150 National Societies thus far. The imperial family, the Japanese government, the Japanese RedCrossand the Japanese people revere the memory of Her Majesty Empress Shôken, and their enduring regard for the Fund isevident inthe regularity of their contributions to it. The grants are usually announced every year on11April, the anniversary of her death. This yearthe announcement isbeingpublished earlierdue to the weekend. The selection process The Fund received 47 applications in 2019, covering a diverse range of humanitarian projects run by National Societies in every region of the world. This year the Joint Commission agreed to allocate a total of 395,782 CHF to 14 projects in Bolivia, Cyprus, Guinea-Bissau, Iraq, Lebanon, Mexico, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe, Singapore, Slovenia, Suriname, Thailand, Ukraine and Vanuatu. The projects to be supported in 2019 cover a number of themes, including displaced people, disaster preparedness in vulnerable communities, and social cohesion and inclusion. Moreover, nearly all of the selected projects seek to strengthen the volunteer base of National Societies, with a view to building on the unique role played by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in communities everywhere. Going forward, the Joint Commission will continue to focus on innovative projects that are geared towards learning so that the broader Movement canbenefit from project findings. The 2019 grants The Bolivian Red Cross is currently working to address the issue of gender-based violence among young people. It will use the grant to set up a permanent programme for schools and youth organizations in order to conduct educational sessions, raise awareness, and provide support and assistance to victims of violence. Cyprus has become an important destination for trans-Mediterranean migration. Using the grant, the Cyprus Red Cross Society will train refugees and asylum seekers in standard and psychological first aid to enable members of the migrant community to help each other and relieve some of the pressure on the health-care sector. The Red Cross Society of Guinea-Bissau will use the grant to strengthen the resilience of coastal communities threatened by extreme weather. The funds will go towards drawing up an emergency action plan, building up stocks of relief items and training at-risk communities so that they can respond rapidly in times of need. In Iraq, displaced people and those living in remote areas have limited access to water, sanitary facilities and health care, which increases the risk that diseases such as cholera will spread. The Iraqi Red Crescent Society will use the grant to set up a health-education programme to raise children’s awareness of communicable diseases and the importance of personal hygiene. The conflict in Syria has significantly increased the number of refugees in Lebanon, which has put a strain on blood-related services in the country. The Lebanese Red Cross is a major provider of these services and will use the grant to enhance its ability to deliver them free of charge to all those in need. Hundreds of schools in Mexico were damaged by a major earthquake in 2017. The grant will help the Mexican Red Cross to set up a programme to prepare school communities for disasters and other emergencies, promote healthy lifestyles and develop skills to facilitate peaceful co-existence. Young people account for more than 70% of the volunteers of the Mozambique Red Cross. The National Society will therefore use the grant to strengthen its youth-oriented initiatives by running training camps and information campaigns, and setting up Red Cross activities in schools. In 2004, the Sao Tome and Principe Red Cross opened a social home for the elderly, which plays an important role in reducing this community’s vulnerability. The grant will allow the National Society to renovate the building and improve the services on offer. The Singapore Red Cross Society runs a large-scale programme to deploy volunteers overseas during disasters. It will use the grant to scale up the training programme for these volunteers, adding more specialized and in-depth training and team-building sessions to ensure the volunteers can work as effectively as possible. The Slovenian Red Cross plans to take an innovative approach to social cohesion by tackling hate speech and its consequences, with a special emphasis on hate speech against migrants. The grant will go towards a training programme within schools, designed to encourage students to become young cultural ambassadors and further spread the message. The Suriname Red Cross Society will use the grant to address disaster preparedness in vulnerable schools in Paramaribo. The National Society will help schools and communities to draw up disaster plans, deliver first-aid training to teachers, and set up and train school emergency brigades made up of teachers and students. The Thai Red Cross Society has a proven track record in conducting water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) activities in emergencies, through its widespread network of registered nurses. It will use the grant to scale up this campaign, as well as to create a WASH manual, together with general and menstrual hygiene kits. The armed conflict in Ukraine has led to a substantial rise in the number of volunteers working for the Ukrainian Red Cross Society. The grant will go towards a new, more sophisticated system for registering, managing and training the National Society’s growing volunteer base. People with disabilities are at greater risk during disasters. The Vanuatu Red Cross Society will therefore use the grant to improve and promote disability and gender inclusion in National Society projects and programmes concerning volunteers, recruitment, capacity building, participation and access.