Health and care activities in the IFRC include first aid and emergency response as well as epidemic control, programmes in health promotion and prevention, addressing stigma, providing psychosocial care and enabling community empowerment.
Health and care activities in the IFRC include first aid and emergency response as well as epidemic control, programmes in health promotion and prevention, addressing stigma, providing psychosocial care and enabling community empowerment.
Around the world, hundreds of thousands of volunteers work in communities to promote health, prevent diseases and demonstrate positive values through their actions. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and its National Societies actively support communities through their network of volunteers, their community-based approach, their expertise and experience.
The past decade has seen major gains towards improving global health. Today, less people die of measles or malaria and the number of new HIV-infections has been stabilized in some countries.
At the same time, implementing primary health care at the community level remains a challenge:
- Worldwide, an estimated 14 million people continue to die each year from infectious diseases. Many more suffer from malnutrition and disruption of livelihood
- More than 1 billion people don’t have access to safe water
- 2.6 billion people lack access to basic sanitation.
- More than 500,000 women die each year in pregnancy or childbirth and still too many children die before their fifth birthday.
This situation will get worse because of global trends such as climate change, population growth and ageing, urbanisation, migration, food and water shortages, poverty, emergent diseases and the lack of access to health services.
Health links
Recent additions to the resources library
In a safe and secure world, people anticipate, respond to, and quickly recover from crisis, lead safe, healthy and dignified lives, and have ample opportunities to thrive. The IFRC promotes community action to strengthen resilience, reduce risks and be …
Containing an epidemic before it spreads uncontrollably saves lives, protects livelihoods, and safeguards long-term development. National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies can play a key role in epidemic risk management through their vast network of …
Sixty per cent of known infectious diseases and 75 per cent of emerging infectious diseases originate in domestic animals and wildlife. Epidemics begin and end in communities – enabling, empowering and equipping communities to recognize and respond to …
Health in Action
World First Aid Day
The IFRC is the largest first aid educator and provider in the world. In 2014, over 15 million people were trained, and for more than 150 years, first aid has provided by our volunteers.
In focus: Ebola
During the 2014-15 Ebola outbreak, Red Cross teams worked with community leaders to ensure families knew about how the virus is spread, what the symptoms are, and the importance of early treatment.
World Water Day
Water, sanitation and good hygiene practices are fundamental to healthy life. Our collective aim is to ensure every family has affordable and sustainable access to safe water and adequate sanitation.
Health news
By Olivia Acosta Prevention, preparedness, early action, and response to disasters and crises are at the core of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). According to Mr. Jean Urbain Zoa, Secretary-General of the Cam …
By Ainhoa Larrea, IFRC Violence and poverty drive millions of people from their homes every year. Thousands end up in the Balkans after long and dangerous journeys over land and across the Mediterranean. “Many flee conflict ravaging their countries of …
Miguel Vela has been a Spanish Red Cross volunteer since 2009, witnessing horror and desperation on a regular basis. A trained nurse, he is currently part of the Immediate Response Team in Humanitarian Assistance to Migrants (ERIE) in the Canary Islands – something he combines with his job in a hospital and the 112 emergency service.
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