Gambia Celebrate World Red Cross Day

The Gambia Red Cross Society on Thursday joined the rest of the world to celerate World Red Cross Day. The celebration was held at the Arch 22 in Banjul.

Deputising the Secretary of State for Health and Social Welfare, the Permanent Secretary, Department of State for Health, Sulayman Samba, said the Gambia government is aware of the pivotal role that  the Gambia Red Cross Society is playing in national development  process, particularly the health Sector.

He stated that his department will do everything possible to incorporate the Gambia Red Cross Society's goals and activities into national planning and review processes in fulfilment of the Government of The Gambia's obligations as a signatory to the Geneva Convention and its related protocols.

Speaking earlier, Vice President of the Gambia Red Cross Society, Momodou Bah, said the theme for this year's celebration is Together for  Humanity, noting that the day is meant to take stock of the strengths and weaknesses of the past and the challenges of the future.

"GRCS is the only voluntary organization in the country with over 15,000 registered members, covering every single community  in the country," he added.

For her part, the new Secretary General of the Gambia Red Cross Society, Mrs Ndey Sireng Bakurin, said every year the Red Cross family gather together to commerate the birth of the founder of the movement, Sir Jean Henry Dunant, marking the great achievement he registered for human dignity.

The ocassion was graced by government officials, Red Cross volunteers and a cross-section of the public.