TEHRAN – The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) is one of the most effective and credible international relief organizations, having the largest number of young volunteers, providing medical care in several countries, and producing pharmaceutical products, medical and relief equipment.

In forty-two years since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the Red Crescent Society has expanded significantly its humanitarian services across the country and abroad by strengthening its voluntary and relief infrastructure, and in recent years, despite cruel sanctions, not only the Red Crescent services not halted, but with service innovation, its activities expanded.

Established in 1922, IRCS operates as a humanitarian organization in the fields of rescue and relief in disasters, health, treatment, and rehabilitation, educating the public, youth, and volunteers, as well as the production of medicine and medical equipment.

In 2005, the IRCS received the Henry Davison Award for outstanding humanitarian services, and the IRCS initiative of volunteers was selected as the best project (out of 50 projects from 45 national societies), by the General Assembly of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

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Relief and Rescue

IRCS is one of the first and oldest members of the movement and is currently one of the top five societies in the world due to its significant activities in the national and international arenas Karim Hemmati, head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society said.

Over the last four decades, the number of relief and rescue bases in the country has increased from zero to 561, he added.

Until 1978, there were only two rescue helicopters in the Society, but now 24 helicopters are operating in the rescue system, and one will be added to the air fleet by the next Iranian calendar year (beginning on March 21), he said, adding, the Red Crescent Society has 27 air rescue bases across the country.

There are currently 60,000 rescuers in IRCS, Hemmati stated, explaining that the Society does not only include rescuers and rescue personnel, there are also 465 rapid reaction forces in the provincial capitals, IRNA reported on Sunday.

Health, treatment, and rehabilitation

“After the revolution, the IRCS services have made a significant leap in the field of rehabilitation for the disabled and people with physical disabilities, as 184 Red Crescent rehabilitation treatment units are currently operating in the country, which has grown by about 254 percent over the past 20 years.

So far, 6 specialized rehabilitation clinics are operating in the provinces of Isfahan and Tehran. Also, three mobile rehabilitation teams (technical orthopedists) have been set up,” Hemmati further said.

Medical centers abroad

Prior to 1978, Dubai Hospital in the United Arab Emirates was the only overseas medical center of the IRCS, but after the revolution, the Iranian Red Crescent Society provides medical services to people in 13 Asian, African, and Latin American countries, Hemmati stated.

“Currently, some 14 medical facilities are offering humanitarian, relief, and health services to the deprived people in Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Bolivia, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Congo, Kenya, Lebanon, Mali, Niger, and Ecuador.”

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