SPEECH BY THE MINISTER OF HEALTH HONOURABLE SYLVIA MASEBO AT THE COMMEMORATION OF WORLD FIRST AID DAY ON THE 9TH OF SEPTEMBER 2023
- THE ZAMBIA RED CROSS PRESIDENT – MR. FRACKSON NGOSA
- THE ACTING SECRETARY GENERAL OF ZAMBIA RED CROSS SOCIETY – MR. COSMAS SAKALA
- THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER TOTAL ZAMBIA LIMITED.
- ALL ORGANISATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS REPRESENTED HERE.
- ZAMBIA RED CROSS SOCIETY MANAGERS AND STAFF
- MEMBERS OF THE PRESS
- SIMPLY SAID, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
I AM VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY, TO SUPPORT THE COMMEMORATION OF WORLD FIRST AID DAY, WHOSE THEME IS FIRST AID IN THE DIGITAL WORLD. THIS THEME IS VERY TIMELY AS CURRENTLY WE ARE LIVING IN AN ERA WHERE WE CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY.
INFORMATION COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY ENHANCE ALL ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES, BE IT AGRICULTURE, SPORTS, HEALTH, ENGINEERING OR ANY OTHER SPHERE OF LIFE, AND INDEED ADMINISTRATION OF FIRST AID.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AS GOVERNMENT, WE HAVE TAKEN COGNISANT OF THE ENABLING FACTOR THAT TECHNOLOGY PROVIDES IN THE EIGHT NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN, BY ENSURING THAT ALL INVESTMENTS ARE FACILITATED BY INFORMATION COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY (ICT) TO SUPPORT DIGITAL INTEGRATION INTO BUSINESS OR WORK PROCESSES WHICH IS KEY TO ENHANCING EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY FOR ECONOMIC EMANCIPATION.
TO ADVANCE THE DIGITALISATION AGENDA, THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE WITH THE ROLL-OUT OF DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING THE LAUNCH OF A SATELLITE. THIS WILL ALSO ENSURE THAT CITIZENS IN RURAL AREAS ARE CONNECTED TO SOCIO-ECONOMIC SERVICES THROUGH MOBILE PHONES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES. FURTHER, THE GOVERNMENT WILL FACILITATE ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS IN BUILDING DIGITAL SKILLS, ESPECIALLY AMONG THE YOUTHS TO PROVIDE A SOUND FOUNDATION FOR INNOVATION, INCLUDING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I AM VERY EXCITED THAT THIS YEAR’S THEME OF FIRST AID IN THE DIGITAL WORLD IS IN TANDEM WITH THE AMBITIONS OF GOVERNMENT. FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE AWARE, WE HAVE AN ICT CENTRE WHICH WAS RECENTLY ESTABLISHED AT THE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITALS (UHT) WHICH HAS ENABLED A LOT OF MEDICAL PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES IN TERMS OF DETERMINING RESULTS AND OTHER DIAGNOSIS, TO BE QUICKER & FASTER.
THE REDCROSS MOVEMENT AND INDEED ZAMBIA RED CROSS SOCIETY IS THEREFORE IN LINE WITH GOVERNMENTS ICT POLICY WHICH PROVIDES THE OVERARCHING POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ICT SECTOR.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AS WE CELEBRATE WORLD FIRST AID TODAY, LET US TAKE NOTE THAT ALL OF US MUST KNOW FIRST AID, AS IT IS AN IMMEDIATE INTERVENTION TO ACCIDENTS. IT IS GRATIFYING TO KNOW THAT ALL OF US, CAN NOW LEARN FIRST AID, AT LEAST THE VERY BASICS, THROUGH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.
FIRST AID COVERS THE GAP BETWEEN THE TIME AN ACCIDENT HAPPENS AND WHEN A CASUALTY IS RUSHED TO RECEIVE SPECIALIZED CARE AT THE NEAREST HEALTH FACILITY. AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, MOST VICTIMS OF ACCIDENTS DO NOT DIE BECAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT ITSELF, BUT THEY DIE DUE TO MISHANDLING OR LACK OF APPLICATION OF FIRST AID AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE OR IN TRANSIT TO THE HEALTH FACILITY. THEREFORE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE MANY PEOPLE TRAINED IN FIRST AID SO THAT THEY CAN EFFICIENTLY BE THE FIRST RESPONDERS AT ACCIDENT SCENES.
I KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THAT RED CROSS SOCIETY IS KEY PLAYER IN PROVISION AND TRAINING IN FIRST AID. I AM ALSO AWARE THAT ZAMBIA RED CROSS SOCIETY UNDERTAKES MANY PROGRAMS AIMED AT PREVENTING AND CONTROLLING DISEASE AND PROMOTING HEALTH IN GENERAL, TARGETING THE MOST VULNERABLE, ESPECIALLY IN THE HARD-TO-REACH AREAS. THIS GESTURE IS VITAL IN AUGMENTING GOVERNMENT EFFORTS IN ACHIEVING ITS MISSION AND ATTAINING SUSTAINABLE GOAL NUMBER 3; “HEALTH AND WELLBEING FOR ALL.” AS GOVERNMENT WE ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR EFFORTS AND ARE FOLLOWING YOUR PROJECTS AND ABILITY TO PROVIDE THE MUCH NEED SUPPORT THAT GOVERNMENT REQUIRES.
THIS PARTNERSHIP IS NOT TAKEN FOR GRANTED. AS GOVERNMENT WE CANNOT WORK ALONE. WE NEED PARTNERS AROUND US IN ORDER TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES AND WORKPLACES SAFE AND CONDUCIVE. I AM ALSO PLEASED TO LEARN, THAT ZAMBIA RED CROSS RUNS DRIVING SCHOOL, WHICH OFFERS FIRST AID AS PART OF THE DRIVING COURSE. THIS IS A FIRST OF ITS KIND AND MUST BE APPLAUDED AS IT CREATE CAPACITY IN MOTORISTS TO PROVIDE FIRST TO CASUALTIES WHEN ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS OCCUR, THUS MORE LIVES WOULD BE SAVED.
AS WE CELEBRATE WORLD FIRST AID IN THE DIGITAL WORLD TODAY, I ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS BRILLIANT INNOVATION AND ENSURE THAT WE ACQUIRE FIRST AID SKILLS
FIRST AID PROMOTES HEALTH, SAVE LIFE, MONEY AND ENHANCE PRODUCTIVITY TODAY
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO INTERACTING WITH TODAY’S ACTIVITIES AS OUTLINED IN THE PROGRAM.
IT IS NOW MY GREAT JOY AND PLEASURE TO OFFICIALLY LAUNCH, WORLD FIRST AID IN THE DIGITAL WORLD.
I THANK YOU.