President urges Lao Red Cross to focus on important issues

President Thongloun Sisoulith has instructed the Lao Red Cross to improve the quality of its humanitarian work and ensure more is done to assist people in need.
The President issued the instruction when chairing the annual meeting of the Lao Red Cross on Tuesday to review the work undertaken in 2022 and formulate plans for 2023.

President Thongloun Sisoulith leads the Lao Red Cross meeting on Tuesday.

In particular, he said Red Cross staff and volunteers should broaden their knowledge, behave more ethically, show more responsibility, and act fairly and selflessly in carrying out their duties.
To raise the standard of work undertaken by the Red Cross and make the agency more effective in delivering a public service, more public participation and support should be garnered, he added.
It was also necessary to publicise the role of the Red Cross, especially in promoting general good health in local communities, mobilising blood donations, and ensuring adequate blood supplies for hospital use.
The Red Cross should also raise public awareness of disaster risk reduction and response, emergency rescue operations and first aid, he added, saying this was the most important humanitarian work and a part of upholding basic human rights.
In addition, the Red Cross management should source more funding for its activities, and decide which areas of work should be carried out solely by its staff or in cooperation with the private sector.
The President also advised setting up an emergency aid fund. This should be managed effectively and be able to provide urgent materials and basic psychological assistance to people affected by natural disasters, especially impoverished families, orphans, disabled people, women and children, and those living in remote areas.
He also urged more people to donate blood on a voluntary basis, without expecting anything in return, and stressed the need to convince young people of the importance of voluntary blood donation.
A decree on a Blood Fund should be finalised as soon as possible, so that the government could promulgate it and ensure that sufficient safe blood was available for patient needs.
The government has considered ways to provide more personnel and funding for the Red Cross, but the number of civil servants and the amount of funding available is limited, the President said.
In conclusion, he advised the Red Cross to seek more assistance from among members of the public, including as volunteers.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update January 19, 2023)