Grenada Red Cross health activities in focus

The Health Department of Grenada Red Cross Society held a number of activities recently, including First Aid training at two venues, their Ride the BUS Campaign in St. Andrew’s and a Psycho social wellness workshop for stakeholders and key volunteers.

Two First Aid workshops were held November 2: one for staff at an infant day care facility, the other for drivers and members of the public who called in after hearing radio ads.

GRCS health director Samantha Roberts did a live radio broadcast of the First Aid training on the midday news of a radio station, which prompted some listeners to call in. Similar announcements were heard on the other radio stations as the ads were circulated to all radio stations.

Volunteers, clad in their First Aid Team tee-shirts, are on the sidelines of the popular Inter sector Netball competition to respond to emergencies that arise during the games. They have so far attended two matches and treated five persons.

A First Aid team also provided service at the November 1 T.A. Marryshow Community College’s ‘Run Marryshow Run’. They treated three persons at that event. On November 4, the team followed a race of the Grenada Athletic Association and treated five persons.

The Health department hosted an educational booth November 4 at the Limes Playfield. The booth ran for four hours and more than 80 persons stopping by for information.

Some availed themselves of a blood pressure while others had fun in a quiz, answering First Aid questions to win tokens. A similar booth was set up by the HIV/AIDS program and persons were also received relevant information.

Ms. Samora Bain of the Jamaica Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Team, with the support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, visited GRCS November 5 to share the psycho social intervention manual.

Two meetings were held during her stay: the first with stakeholders and professionals from the St. George’s University, the Legal Aid & Counseling Clinic, the National Disaster Management Agency, and the Ministries of Education, and Social Development.

The second meeting brought together volunteers from the Disaster response team, the HIV/AIDS program department, the First Aid Response team and staff of GRCS.

Both groups shared thoughts and feelings on the materials presented and made suggestions for change.