QRCS Intensifies Its Efforts In Humanitarian Aid And Developmental Activities In 2023

QRCS enhances relief and development efforts in 2023

Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) implemented QR 483 million worth of relief and development operations during 2023, helping to improve the lives of 8.7 million beneficiaries both locally and internationally.

With these remarkable achievements, QRCS continues to uphold its commitments as a humanitarian and social services provider, reaching out to vulnerable people everywhere, helping to achieve the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030, and representing Qatar's outstanding position in the international humanitarian arena.

Locally, QRCS implemented year-round and seasonal programs for the benefit of 1,062,917 people, at a total cost of QR 12,776,643. These included community care projects to support families and individuals having financial troubles, such as poor students, poor patients, and persons deeply indebted.

QRCS also had community development initiatives, which included vocational and FabLab training for penitentiary inmates, environmental awareness and recycling workshops for children, distribution of gifts to poor children, and participation in university and professional events, just to name a few.

By the end of 2023, QRCS has 29,645 registered volunteers, who attended many training courses and took part in dozens of voluntary assignments all over the year.

Supporting the government's public health policies and strategies, the Medical Affairs Division at QRCS works with the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) to operate four health centers for workers (Al-Hemailah, Mesaimeer, Fereej Abdul Aziz, and Zekreet), in addition to a Medical Commission Unit in Mesaimeer.

The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department provides ambulatory care through a fleet of 50 ambulance vehicles run by medical and technical professionals. They are deployed at sports and social events, as well as some public and industrial facilities, such as sports competitions (in cooperation with Aspetar), Nakilat, and Qatar Steel. QRCS also has first-aid units to provide EMS for the public at Doha Quest and Villaggio Mall.

The Training and Development Center offers continuing professional education (CPD), training of trainers (ToT), basic life support (BLS), advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), first aid, and first responder courses.

Other activities include health education for workers and the public, COVID-19 prevention awareness campaign, participation in health exhibitions, and health informative messages in the media and social media.

In total, the number of beneficiaries from health care and education services during 2023 jumped to 1,732,129, mostly expatriate workers, with a total budget of QR 316,743,049.

Internationally, QRCS implemented humanitarian projects/aid worth QR 154,175,653, for the benefit of 5,973,734 people in 27 countries (Somalia, Palestine, Lebanon, Venezuela, Yemen, Jordan, Mauritania, Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, South Africa, Niger, Mongolia, Albania, Malawi, Kosovo, the Philippines, Chad, Morocco, Mali, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Kenya, and Ethiopia).

These projects covered various humanitarian sectors, such as health care, shelter, food security, livelihoods, water and sanitation, and education. Also, there were multi-sector interventions and seasonal campaigns (Ramadan, Al-Adahi, and Warm Winter).

In response to disasters and humanitarian crises, QRCS's Disaster Information Management Center (DIMC) was activated 14 times throughout 2023, notably: Syria-Turkey earthquake, conflict in Sudan, Storm Daniel in Libya, Morocco earthquake, and war on Gaza.

Many medical convoys were deployed to treat patients in various medical specializations, in cooperation with doctors and technicians from Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and Sidra Medicine.

Highlights

In 2023, the 1st QRCS Annual Scientific Conference was launched, in cooperation with MOPH and major health organizations and pharmaceutical companies in Qatar. It was a capacity-building event for primary health care (PHC) professionals on how to manage noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes, hypertension, and asthma. The participants were qualified to gain 15.5 CPD credit hours, as a key requirement for medical licensing renewal.

QRCS held the 9th Disaster Management Camp (DMC-9), the region's top training event of its kind. It graduated 300 participants who received training in various humanitarian and relief skills from Qatari government organizations, NGOs, the private sector, and Arab and non-Arab National Societies.