(Al-Bireh, 26-12-2011): The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) celebrates its 42nd anniversary today, the 26th of December 2010. On this day in 1968, PRCS was officially created in response to the health and social needs of the entire Palestinian population, as well as to deal with the humanitarian consequences of Israeli attacks on Palestinian refugee camps abroad. It found its inspiration in the humanitarian heritage of the former Palestine Red Crescent Societies: the one established in the first quarter of the 20th century and the one created following the Palestinian Nakba in 1948.
PRCS started providing its services through a tiny clinic established thanks to efforts by residents of the Marka refugee camp, located near the Jordanian capital, Amman. The clinic benefited from modest monetary and in-kind donations provided by camp dwellers. It was consecrated as a Society in charge of providing health and social services to Palestinians by virtue of a Decision issued by the Palestinian National Council during its sixth session held in Cairo on 1 September 1969. PRCS then developed into a large health and social institution and became a major PLO institution with tens of thousands of employees, volunteers and friends.
PRCS is a duly recognized national Palestinian institution with an independent moral entity. It is a member of the International Movement of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. Its activities cover Palestine and Palestinian refugee camps abroad, especially in Lebanon and Syria, in accordance with Palestinian laws, Geneva Conventions, the International Humanitarian Law and the RCRC Movement’s seven principles, namely humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.
For 42 years, PRCS has directed its actions on three fronts: developing its human capacities, diversifying its services and modernizing its centers as well as its health and social institutions. It is still endeavoring to serve Palestinians wherever they are, in view of preserving their lives and mitigating their suffering. PRCS has provided an example of evolutionary services and programs by accumulating achievements year after year; developing and increasing the capacities of its staff, centers and hospitals; diversifying its programs and services and upgrading them in view of providing the best possible services to recipients.
Furthermore, PRCS has set its strategy in line with the specificities of the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people’s struggle for its legitimate right to freedom and independence in a sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital. One of its major strengths lies in its ability to respond to emergencies and to adapt its plans and programs in accordance. This became quite apparent during Israel’s war on our people in Lebanon in 1982 and its incursions in the West Bank in 2002 and 2003, as well as during the siege imposed on Gaza since 4 years, which culminated by the latest war on Gaza in late 2008 and early 2009.
Based on these experiences and objectives, PRCS continued, through 2010, to provide its services and to implement its programs to the benefit of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the homeland and abroad, as well as to anyone in need of such services, especially in Palestinian areas and agglomerations with the greatest needs. In the Gaza Strip, improvement efforts persisted in PRCS centers and in Al Quds hospital, which was hit by Israeli bombs during the war. PRCS also pursued the enhancement of its health and social services and its Disaster Management Program. It continued to support and develop programs in the its EMS School and Department in Gaza, making positive use of the results of its internal and external audits, and of the lessons learned. In refugee camps, especially in Lebanon, the process of developing health services in PRCS hospitals and primary health care centers continued, in response to the needs of Palestinian refugees living in the camps.
2010 was also a year where PRCS developed its social programs and interventions, especially those related to primary health care, psychosocial support, and home rehabilitation of individuals with special needs based on the village access mechanism. PRCS also developed community-based programs aimed at increasing disaster preparedness and mitigating the social effects thereof in the West Bank and Gaza alike, as well as first aid programs.
As PRCS’ mission is not limited to its services and programs, the Society has actively participated in setting up policies and sectorial plans, nationwide, through active partnerships and memoranda of understanding concluded with public and non-governmental entities in both the health and social sectors. Its contributions in regional and international specialized workshops and conferences have noticeably evolved, consecrating PRCS as a full-fledged member of the RCRC Movement.
PRCS’ ever-growing role has thus qualified it for the Yasser Arafat Achievement Award 2010, for its services and the role played by its staff and volunteers during 2009. It was also elected, through a Palestinian public opinion pole, as the best Palestinian institution in 2009.
Driven by its mission and in line with its heritage, values, principles and the sacrifices of its members – humanitarian action martyrs –, PRCS will keep on providing the best services that our people deserves, wherever they may be.
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