Welcome to What in the World, Wednesday, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It's a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work...
MOZAMBIQUE: When riots erupted recently in Maputo, the Mozambique Red Cross immediately mobilized seven teams of 23 volunteers and 18 staff to provide first aid and evacuate those requiring hospital treatment. Staff and volunteers are now providing psychological support to those affected by the riots.
WORLDWIDE: Just two diseases – pneumonia and diarrhea – account for 36 percent of all under-five deaths worldwide. Most of these lives could be saved with cost-effective and relatively cheap immunization measures, says a new joint report by the IFRC and the GAVI Alliance.
SENEGAL: When the country was about to host a mass gathering of two million pilgrims for a religious festival, pandemic preparedness was a top priority for the Senegalese Red Cross. They mobilized hundreds of volunteers for the occasion. Now they say they're more prepared than ever for outbreaks and other disasters.
KAZAKHSTAN: While professional tennis fans were glued to their televisions watching the US Open play out, 32 amateur athletes and Kazakhstan’s national tennis champion gathered for their own tournament in Almaty to raise awareness about the American Red Cross and Kazakhstan Red Crescent Society earthquake preparedness program. (photos)
GLOSSARY:
ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
