HIGHLIGHTS OF GUWAHATI DISTRICT BRANCH

Besides normal activities the following important days were observed in a befitting manner and holding meeting with relevant programme in IRCS, Guwahati District Branch every year on through different activities

• Republic Day on 26th January
• World Health Day on 7th April
• World Red Cross Day on 8th May
• International Nurses Day on 12th May
• World Blood Donation Day on 14th June
• World Environment Day on 5th June
• Independence Day on 15th August
• World AIDS day on 1st December

Red Cross Hospital

In the year 1965 then Speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly Shri Mohendra Mohan Choudhury laid the foundation stone of Red Cross Hospital. The hospital started as dedicated Child Care and Maternity Services.

Renovation of Ground and First floors of the building is undertaken during 2019 CE and with completion of Ground floor the Hospital is reopened with Maternity, Child care, Family Planning services along with Laboratory and Dispensing facilities from 27th January,2021.

Outpatient service on Maternity and Gynaecology, Child and general people, Inpatient services for M&G cases, Vaginal and Assisted deliveries including LSCS; MTP services, Gynaecological operative procedure , Standard laboratory tests with sophisticated equipments, Allopathic Pharmacy are some of the services already in practice. Dedicated Ambulance Service, Ultrasonography and Pradhanmatrir Jana Arogya Pharmacy will be added within reasonable time.

The hospital has qualified and experienced Obstrecians & Gynecologists, Paediatrician, general physicians, Pathologist & microbiologist, Laboratory Technicians, Pharmacists, Nursing staff (ANM & GNM) and other medical and IT supporting staffs. Besides a battery of ministerial staff headed by full time Secretary of IRCS, Guwahati District Branch is looking after the administrative works.

Red Cross Hospital till recently runs OPD services at Noonmati complex of State IRCS.

It also regularly arranged Health Camps in Out reach area of undivided Kamrup district and Meghalaya.

With Assam cancer Care Foundation and NHM, Assam Red Cross Hospital is arranging weekly on Friday Cervical cancer screening camps from March’21.

Above three services are at present kept suspended because of Pandemic.

Activities related to COVID -19

• Red Cross Hospital is extending its services of Vaccination against COVID – 19 since 30th January’21 with its own trained team at a separate wing within the Hospital Campus.
• IRCS, Guwahati District Branch distributed Family relief packages during COVID 19 Lockdown period, 2020 - 1540 families of fifteen identified areas of Greater Guwahati were provided with primary food and hygiene items from 09/04/20 to 18/07/2020.

Nurses Training Centre

Red Cross Nurses Training centre located at Guwahati District Branch is well established and the oldest Nurses Training Institute of the North East India. It was established in the year 1956 and till today 3,317 Nurses (ANM/FHW) undergoing training. Of them 2413 are Govt sponsored, 580 self sponsored, 305 are through ATEWB and 19 from Char areas. Successfully passed out from this Institute and rendering humanitarian services to the mothers & children even in the most interior places of different North Eastern states of India and outside. Every year the Nurses Training Centre admits 40 students on merit basis with HSSLC as the basic qualification. Covering 1st and 2nd year the Nursing Institute has 80 students. Presently the Nursing Training Centre has eight sister tutors, besides Principal and support staff. Student’s clinical experience training in GMCH and East Guwahati State Dispensary and community services training at Hajo FRU area are strictly adhered.

Fresher’s Meet, Capping and lamp lighting Ceremony, World Nurses Day celebration, Pulse Polio Immunization programme and participation on World Cancer Day (4th February), ‘Run for Cancer Awareness Rally’, World Blood Donation Programme (14th June), International Yoga day (21st June), Awareness programme on Dementia (22nd June), ‘Total Heart Care Programme’ (30th June), ‘Address Child Marriage’ (25th November), World AIDS Day (1st December), National Consumer Rights Day (24th December), are some extra-curricular activities at Red Cross Nurses Training Centre. Spoken English and personality development course for Nurses Training Centre students are added during 2018.

Community Health Training Centre, Hajo

Since 1993, Guwahati District Branch is running a Community Health Training Centre at Hajo. Under this nursing students are given field training by Nursing Tutors. During the visit, the health workers advice the rural people on sanitation, prevention of communicable diseases, family welfare and child health & Immunization programme of government through house to house visit and by holding group discussion with village Headman/Community Chief besides Family Planning Motivation to the eligible couples of the area.

Other Important Works of Guwahati District Branch

• Children Home & Rehabilitation Centre
  • Children Home for boys at Jalukbari: The Children Home at Jalukbari is running with 30 orphans from all over Assam. The Society rendered education upto HSLC. The Children belong to the families affected by floods and ethnic violence.
  • Sishugram for girls at North Guwahati: The Sishugram an orphanage for girls is running with girl –orphans from all over Assam. The Society is taking schemes to train the girls in Handicrafts, weaving, cutting & tailoring, toy making etc. to make them self dependent.
  • Sishugram rehabilitation centre: The Sishugram at North Guwahati was established on a novel idea of rehabilitation of orphans and destitute Children who have lost their parents family/ shelter in the natural or manmade disaster. The Govt. of Assam allotted 100 acres of land for this purpose. The IRCS, Guwahati is running fishery, seed firm, handicraft etc schemes to make the inmates of the Children Home and Children villages (Sishugram) self dependent after completion of general education.
• Junior Red Cross (JRC) & Youth Red Cross (YRC) Activities

  Junior Red Cross is the students’ wing of the Red Cross Society. JRC is organized through school groups with the help of the teachers and its Principal objectives are –

  • The practice of health habit.
  • Service to the sick and suffering specially children.
  • International friendliness, promoted through the exchange of school correspondence, album, scrapbooks etc. between JRC members.

  At present the Guwahati District Branch have registered JRC Units in 82 schools with 164 trained counselors and 3280 JRC Volunteers.

• First Aid Ambulatory Service
  • First Aid Training :First Aid Training Programme was organized among the JRC, YRC and Red Cross Volunteers, Assam Police personnel, Coca Cola Ltd., Local volunteers, GRTC, Noonmati, PHQ, OIL, Narengi, DS Ltd., Bamunimoidam, Airport Authority of India, Eastern Infratech Pvt. Ltd., Amingaon, Workers of Godrej Limited, Bamunimoidam, & other NGOs and issued certificate to more than 600 successful candidates.
  • Ambulatory Service : At present Red Cross Ambulatory Service is provided only within the greater Guwahati and trying extend it to the outside patients also. 10 Ambulatory & First Aid Services given to the hospitalized patients, accident cases and 25 Ambulatory Medical Services were given during flood and other calamities. First Aid camp with the Ambulatory Services also provided on the occasion of Bihu, Ambubasi Mela, Sivaratri, Durga Puja, Assam Sahitya Sabha Sanmilan, Book Fair, Sports meet and other public rally organized at Guwahati in some specific socio-cultural occasion.
  • Ambubashi mela : The most important festival of Kamakhya temple is celebrated in the month of June every year. First Aid, Medical Aid, Ambulance services, etc were performed by the volunteers.

Development Programmes under execution and to be undertaken shortly

• Total renovation of first floor of the existing three storied Red Cross Hospital with the aim to improve patients rooms with increased capacity, creation of modern facilities like setting up of an advanced pathology lab, x-ray and ultrasound facility, expansion and improvement of Operation Theatres and setting up of Hospital Pharmacy.
• Improvement of Hospital Campus by laying Lawns and Garden.
• Plan to increase intake capacity to 50 per year for nursing students (ANM course).
• To start B.Sc. 4 years nursing course from 2022.
• Renovation of Uzanbazar commercial complex of Guwahati District Branch.

Guwahati District Branch : ACTIVITIES

• Blood Donation Camps.
• Disaster Management.
• Health Check Up Camps.
• JRC/YRC
• JRC
  • Junior Red Cross movement originated in Canada in 1914.
  • Established in India in 1925 and in Assam since 1969.
  • The motto of Junior Red Cross is “I Serve”
  • Members age group – 12 to 17 years
  • Registration Fee for Schools is Rs.300/- per annum

Healthcare

• Practice of health habits.
• Cleanliness at school premises.
• Health awareness campaign.
• Promotion of health practices.
• Promotion of health awareness about HIV/AIDS.
• Awareness campaign on hazards of drug addiction.
• Awareness about health programs.

Service

• Voluntary service during disaster management.
• Providing First Aid to the wounded / sick.
• Adoption of a nearby slum for literacy campaign.
• Relief work during emergencies.
• Dissemination of Red Cross Movement.

Friendship Building

• Participation in Junior Red Cross camps.
• Greeting co-members on special occasions through posts or mails.
• Organizing integration camps.
• Communal harmony.
• Literacy campaign / youth exchange program.
• Understanding & acceptance of civil responsibilities.

YRC

• Group movement organized for students in colleges.
• Members’ age group is 18 to 30 years.
• Registration fee for colleges is Rs.400/- per annum.
• Each college is designated a Program Officer/Counsellor.

FNS

The Family News Service (FNS) department of the Indian Red Cross Society with all the important role in helping to re establish or maintain contact between separated family members. As a part of the network, Indian Red Cross Society can help a person in India to locate the missing family members in any part of the world. It is unique service provided free of charge to public. IRCS, Assam State Branch in coordination with the IRCS, NHQ facilitates tracing of those who were got separated from their family due to various reasons and assisted in family re-communication.

First Aid Training

First Aid has been at the core of the Red Cross & Red Crescent Movement ever since Henry Dunant organized civilians to help injured soldiers after the battle of Solferino in 1859. It is an act of humanity responding to an emergency situation to save a human life. National council of St. John Ambulance (India) and National Managing Body of Indian Red Cross Society have authorized the Red Cross State Branches and its District Branches to impart training in First Aid and allied subjects following the common revised First Aid Manual approved by the IRCS, NHQrs, New Delhi and issue certificate w.e.f. 1st January, 2011. The Indian Red Cross Society, Assam State Branch provides various courses of different types of First Aid Training from employees working in corporate sectors both private and Public sector, Government organizations, factories and Industries and the students of Educational Institutions etc. and awareness programmes for Junior Red Cross in educational Institutions.