Community-based health care, first aid project benefits the poor

Thanh Hoa (VNA) – The community-based health care and first aid project has helped improve health and self-recovery ability of the poor and vulnerable people in Ba Thuoc district, central Thanh Hoa province, according to the Vietnam Red Cross.

The project, sponsored by the European Union, has been implemented from 2013-2015 in Ban Cong, Ai Thuong, Thiet Ong, Luong Trung and Dien Ha communes to improve the capability of instructors and volunteers on health care, disease prevention, first aid, and public awareness campaigns.

The project organised two training courses equipping 29 people with expertise on community-based health care, skills on health education communication, malnutrition and disease prevention.

It also trained 100 volunteers in five communes on health care communication and disease prevention and skills on first aid.

Around 800 local residents in areas prone to causalities were equipped with first aid skills for downing, broken arms and legs, bleeding, fever and electrocution and they have helped 236 cases in five communes.

Many models on effective and sustainable health care and injury prevention were formed such as “Teams of versatile Red Cross volunteers,” or “First-aid teams in schools,” or “Medicine chests in schools’.”

Trinh Thi Tiep, Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Red Cross Society, said the society would continue coordinating with the local government to maintain and develop achieved results of the project into sustainable health care models and injury prevention.

Effective models will be applied beyond five communes to benefit more people.-VNA