Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 25, 2021 (SKNIS): The International Federation for Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said that the ambulance and passenger bus, which was donated in partnership with St. Kitts and Nevis Red Cross Society (SKNRCS) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will go a far way in helping not just the SKNRCS, but the local health authorities in continuing to fight against COVID-19 and reducing its impact.
These were the words of Ariel Kestens, Head of Delegation (Country Cluster Delegation for the Dutch and English Speaking Caribbean, Port of Spain), who spoke virtually at the handing over ceremony on February 24, 2021.
He noted that over the past year, the activities of the organization have been centered around the three priorities, which form part of the operational response framework for COVID-19 of the IFRC and the SKNRCS.
“These priorities include the sustaining of health and wealth, and the erasing of the social and economic impact on society…,” he said.
Mr. Kestens said that since the start of the pandemic, the SKNRCS has offered support through it all, and has donated Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the Ministry of Health and offered psychosocial support, care packages, and cash assistance to families in need, who have been impacted by the pandemic. He added that the staff continues to help sensitize the population about COVID-19 intervention measures.
“This latest initiative, with the support of the US Embassy and USAID, will assist in achieving the third priority area of strengthening St. Kitts and Nevis Red Cross Society,” he said.
He applauded St. Kitts and Nevis Red Cross Society and the Ministry of Health for their work in keeping the number of active COVID-19 cases in St. Kitts and Nevis at a minimum.
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 25, 2021 (SKNIS): United States Ambassador to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean, and OECS, Her Excellency Linda Taglialatela, said that her government will continue to support St. Kitts and Nevis and the region in their fight against the deadly COVID-19 virus.
The latest support was the donation from USAID (United States Agency for International Development) of an ambulance to the Ministry of Health, and a passenger bus to St. Kitts and Nevis Red Cross Society (SKNRCS) that were handed over during a brief yet significant ceremony on Wednesday, February 24, 2021, at the Joseph Nathaniel France (JNF) General Hospital.
“We are committed to helping those in the Eastern Caribbean. Throughout the pandemic, the United States has worked with organizations like IFRC [International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies] and UNICEF [United Nations International Children’s Fund]… to provide much-needed pandemic response assistance to St. Kitts and Nevis and the region,” said Ambassador Taglialatela during her virtual presentation to officially hand over an ambulance and a passenger bus to St. Kitts and Nevis. “In this fight, the United States remains your committed partner. I am proud that our partnership stands as strong as ever. Strengthening collaboration with one another, together we will continue to meet this moment of challenge to our healthcare systems.”
Ambassador Taglialatela noted that the donation will aid St. Kitts and Nevis in bolstering its health system.
“We know that this donation will help you to continue your model management of COVID-19 for the benefit of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis. We are in this together and together we will rise to overcome the challenges presented by this pandemic,” she said. “The ambulance will be donated to JNF to support patient transport throughout St. Kitts and Nevis and the bus will be used by the National Red Cross Society to transport volunteers and staff to support raising community awareness about virus protection.”
Her Excellency Taglialatela commended the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis for its continued success in ensuring that citizens and residents remain safe during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“I recognize the government’s substantial leadership in keeping the people of St. Kitts and Nevis safe during the pandemic,” said the ambassador. St. Kitts and Nevis continues to be one of the most successful countries in the Hemisphere in containing the spread of the disease. I know this has come at a great cost to the country’s economy and its people and we acknowledge the social and economic ramifications.”
She thanked healthcare professionals, civic leaders, manufacturing workers, civil servants, and all others in the Federation “who have worked tirelessly to respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic.”
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 25, 2021 (SKNIS): With the COVID-19 virus still active, Kaye Bass, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Aviation, has called for continued global solidarity and cooperation as they are considered effective tools to combat the pandemic.
“In the initial phase in the fight against this global health challenge, we were pleased to witness a universal solidarity among families, communities, and nations,” said Ms. Bass during the handing over ceremony of an ambulance and passenger bus at the Joseph Nathaniel France (JNF) General Hospital on February 24. “We are where we are today because of our homebred experts, but we have come this far as a consequence of the benevolence of bilateral friends such as the United States of America and international partners such as the IFRC [ International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies]”.
Ms. Bass noted that St. Kitts and Nevis’ successes at properly managing the spread of the virus should not go unnoticed.
“We believe that our success to date at curbing the spread of the disease within our community puts us in a good place to warrant further attention and assistance as we move to achieve herd immunity”, she said. “This is an opportune juncture to therefore make an appeal for a similar show of solidarity from the United States and others with respect to ensuring equitable access to vaccines and call upon all nations to realize that the actions of each nation globally will ultimately have an impact on its own welfare domestically.”
Permanent Secretary Bass added that a robust and resilient health system is necessary for a continued healthy population in a post-COVID-19 world.
She noted that the COVID-19 Pandemic calls for global togetherness as coming together brings everyone hope and can help protect the world from future outbreaks of infectious diseases.
“The pandemic calls for a uniting of the entire global community to build societal resilience to cope with the next crisis. We believe solidarity and unity of action can assist in mitigating against trends that will render the world vulnerable to the spread of infectious diseases,” she said. “Solidarity is building on elements of relationships among individuals, peoples, and states and underpins global partnerships.”
Ms. Bass used the occasion to highlight the bond between St. Kitts and Nevis and the United States, noting that the Federation “cherishes the almost 38 years of formal relations between the two nations and the mutual solidarity that has helped to solidify this bond.”
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 24, 2021 (SKNIS): Kaye Bass, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Aviation, expressed thanks and appreciation to several international partners for their generous donation of an ambulance to the Ministry of Health, and a passenger bus to St. Kitts and Nevis Red Cross Society (SKNRCS) that were handed over during a brief yet significant ceremony on Wednesday, February 24, 2021, at the Joseph National France (JNF) General Hospital.
The vehicles, which were donated by the Government of the United States of America through its Agency for International Development (USAID) with assistance from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society (IFRC), will aid St. Kitts and Nevis in bolstering its health system
“The ministry joins with the Ministry of Health in expressing appreciation to the American Government for its usual response to humanitarian appeals and for specifically tailoring assistance based on our capacity, thus providing the exact items needed,” said Permanent Secretary Bass. “We thank the United States Government… for continuing to engage with bilateral and multilateral donor partners to coordinate response efforts, identify funding needs, address operational challenges, and to select the most appropriate mechanisms to fill identified response gaps. Indeed, the ambulance will fill a well-needed gap,” Ms. Bass added.
Ms. Bass noted that the donation is timely and significant.
“The ambulance, a single item, may be perceived small but it is indeed significant in light of the fact that it has been gifted and will more than likely free up funds perhaps originally allocated in the ministry’s budget to be channeled to bolster other aspects of the health system. It will undoubtedly enable the health teams to respond more quickly to medical emergencies and it will facilitate faster medical treatment, thereby enhancing service delivery,” she said.
Speaking briefly on the coronavirus pandemic, Ms. Bass said that one “truism highlighted is that in an increasingly interconnected world a health threat anywhere is a health threat everywhere” adding that countries were prompted to close their borders to protect lives and livelihoods.
She applauded the United States government for its continued support, especially during the pandemic.
“This pandemic is a stark reminder that many of the pressing health issues facing nations are now inherently transnational if not global. Locally, we have been calling for an all of society approach, and globally it requires no less. Indeed, it has been forged a responsibility of countries with the wherewithal to support countries with limited resources to tackle health problems within their own borders,” said the permanent secretary. “The ministry, and by the extension the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis, commends the United States for not only recognizing its responsibility but also fulfilling it, be it through the donation of equipment, building capacity or provision of financial resources to assist countries to combat the spread of the virus,” she said.
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 24, 2021 (SKNIS): St. Kitts and Nevis Red Cross Society (SKNRCS), has partnered with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to present the Ministry of Health with a fully equipped ambulance on February 24, 2021, at the JNF General Hospital grounds.
Dr. Delores Stapleton Harris, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health stated that the donation is a critical addition to the fleer of ambulances and will aid in the country’s emergency services.
“This is indicative of a significant investment by the USAID as you may well be aware of the cost of a brand new ambulance as well as the cost of a brand new bus. However, the deeper meaning of this investment is the fact that our emergency response capabilities will be greatly enhanced and it must be accompanied by functional, fully loaded, and technologically advanced vehicles, ambulances, as part of our emergency medical systems fleet as we endeavour to meet the needs of those requiring emergency care,” said Dr. Stapleton Harris.
She expressed appreciation on behalf of the Ministry of Health to the SKNRCS, USAID, and IFRC in receiving “such a tangible and generous donation as we advance health care in St. Kitts and Nevis, specifically to our institution based healthcare system as we continue to build out the emergency medical response in the Federation.”
Dr. Stapleton Harris stated that the gesture demonstrates USAID’s continued commitment to countries such as St. Kitts and Nevis. She added that it allows the ministry to honour its commitment to provide an improved healthcare system in a holistic manner for the entire population.
She noted that ambulance services are critical to the urgent response to medical and trauma-related emergencies.
“In fact, it is a mandatory 24/7 service. Thus it is envisaged that such an expanded fleet would provide a more efficient emergency medical service, emergency intervention, and timely transport of patients in a variety of situations and environments,” she said. “Undoubtedly, such a system will increase the overall efficiency of our health care service and improve the health outcomes of our people. This is a very strong demonstration in a very tangible manner of strong partnership and genuine concern on the part of USAID and so we are very grateful.”
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 24, 2021 (SKNIS): Minister of Health, the Honourable Akilah Byron-Nisbett, expressed profound thanks to St. Kitts and Nevis Red Cross Society (SKNRCS), who has partnered with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for delivering a brand new ambulance to the Ministry of Health on February 24, 2021, at the JNF General Hospital grounds.
“On behalf of the Ministry of Health, and the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis, I wish to extend my sincere thanks to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for this significant donation,” she said, speaking at the handing over ceremony on February 24, 2021. “I also wish at this juncture to convey our profound gratitude to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and to Mr. Hester Rawlins and his executive of St. Kitts and Nevis Red Cross Society (SKNRCS) for such humanitarian foresight.”
She added that their strong collaborative technical support and the overall vital role they played from the conceptualization of the gift, the engaged enthusiastic discussions, and the persevering actions and engagement with the key stakeholders brought the project to fruition. “We are so very grateful for your commitment,” she said.
Minister Byron-Nisbett noted that the receipt of the ambulance is timely and important to and for the Ministry of Health as it will help the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.
“Such an addition to the existing fleet of ambulances ensures that there is an adequate first respondent mechanism to respond to medical emergencies nationwide,” she said. “In fact, having a large number of EMTs is simply not enough. There must also be the required vehicular capacity to respond in a timely manner.”
With the addition of the new ambulance, the health system will be better able to have an ambulance stationed at the two main satellite institutions, the Mary Charles Hospital and the Pogson Medical Centre, said the minister.
Minister Byron-Nisbett stated that these ambulances are well equipped and can safely and properly transport to and between hospitals.
She emphasized the importance of the buildout of ambulances to the rural areas as persons would no longer have to wait on an ambulance to be deployed from the Joseph N. France General Hospital in Basseterre or the Pogson Medical Centre in Sandy Point.
“Hence, this is indeed exciting, and this gesture is such a very good way to commence the year, building our health capacity during the COVID-19 Pandemic,” she said.
According to Hester Rawlins, Director General of the SKNRCS, who also spoke at the handing over ceremony, the donation was made possible through the generous funding of the American people through USAID.
“This fully equipped ambulance was donated as a part of the COVID-19 response project, partially funded by the Government of the United States of America,” he said. “A similar donation of a passenger bus has been gifted to our National Society as we endeavour to assist the most vulnerable members of our communities while we strengthen our axillary role to government during these trying times.”
Also, at today’s ceremony, USAID gifted a brand new passenger bus to the SKNRCS.
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, June 28, 2020 (SKNRCS):
The St. Kitts & Nevis Red Cross Society received two shipments of humanitarian non-food items (NFI) and some personal protective equipment (PPE) on Thursday 25th and Friday 26th June, 2020. The items were generously donated by both the French Red Cross (PIRAC office) in collaboration with the European Commission and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The supplies which were held in Guadeloupe were airlifted by French Military Aircrafts out of Guyane Française (French Guyana).
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