SPEECH FOR THE GUEST OF HONOUR DR. GEORGE SINYANGWE P.S DONOR CO-ORDINATION MINISTRY OF HEALTH 38TH NATIONAL COUNCIL- NDOZO LODGETHEME: “TRANSFORMATION FOR PROGRESS AND SUSTAINABILIY”

• ZRCS COUNCIL OF DELEGATES
• ZRCS NATIONAL PRESIDENT- MR FRACKSON NGOSA
• ZRCS BOARD
• ACTING SECRETARY GENERAL MR. COSMAS SAKALA
• NETHERLANDS RED CROSS COUNTRY REPRESENTATIVE – MS. MARIANNE DEEDLER
• IFRC OPERATIONS DELEGATE – MRS. GLORIA KUNYENGA

ALL THE LINE MINISTRIES REPRESENTED HERE

• LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR INVITING ME TO GRACE THIS   IMPORTANT GATHERING AT WHICH THE ZAMBIA RED CROSS SOCIETY (ZRCS) WILL BE DELIBERATING MATTERS PERTAINING THE WELFARE AND PROGRESS OF THE ORGANIZATION. MAY I BEGIN BY STATING THAT GOVERNMENT TAKES THE ZRCS AS A STRATEGIC PARTNER AND A FORCE TO RECON WITH IN DRIVING THE COUNTRY’S DEVELOPMENTAL AGENDA, ENHANCING SAFETY, DIGNITY AND WELFARE OF THE CITIZENRY.

WE ARE COGNISANT OF THE IMPORTANT WORKS THAT ZAMBIA RED CROSS SOCIETY DO, WITH REGARDS TO DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE MITIGATION AND RECOVERY. THIS INCLUDES DEVELOPMENTAL WORK IN HEALTH TOO. 

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE PRESIDENT MR. HAKAINDE HICHILEMA AND IN LINE WITH GOVERNMENT’S ASPIRATIONS AS INDICATED IN OUR VARIOUS NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT DOCUMENTS SUCH AS THE 8^TH NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN, WE INTEND TO PROVIDE AN AVENUE FOR CATALYSING THE NATION’S RESPONSE TO ADDRESSING THE DEVELOPMENTAL CHALLENGES OVER THE 2022-2026 PERIOD IN THE QUEST TO ATTAIN THE VISION 2030, SDGS AND OTHER REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS. FOR US TO ENHANCE DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT, THE GOVERNMENT WILL STRENGTHEN DISASTER RISK REDUCTION, ENHANCE EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS FOR TIMELY ACTION AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS FOR EFFECTIVE RESPONSE TO BUILD BACK BETTER IN RECOVERY, REHABILITATION, AND RECONSTRUCTION.

FURTHER, GOVERNMENT WILL UNDERTAKE DISASTER RISK ASSESSMENTS, ESTABLISH EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTRES, COMMUNITY-BASED DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAMMES AND POST-DISASTER RECOVERY ACTIVITIES FOR RESILIENCE BUILDING. WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE INTERVENTIONS, IT IS EXPECTED THAT DISASTER RISKS AND LOSSES WILL REDUCE.

COUNCIL OF DELEGATES

I WISH TO COMMEND ZAMBIA RED CROSS SOCIETY FOR THE VARIOUS INTERVENTIONS IMPLEMENTED BY YOURSELVES. WE AS A MINISTRY AND INDEED GOVERNMENT, ARE AWARE OF YOUR RESPONSE WITH CHOLERA IN EASTERN, LUAPULA, NORTHEN AND LUSAKA PROVINCES. YOUR HUMANITARIAN WORK AND PARTICIPATION IN ENHANCING COVID 19 VACCINATIONS, ENHANCING MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH, IMPROVING ACCESS TO CLEAN AND SAFE WATER AND ADEQUATE SANITATION, ASSISTING AND CONNECTING DISPLACED PEOPLE, RESPONDING TO EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE SUCH AS THE FOOD INSECURITY AND FLOODS, THIS YEAR AND IN THE PAST, SPEAKS LOUD OF YOUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR MANDATE, AND THIS IS MUCH APPRECIATED BY GOVERNMENT. 

AM ALSO AWARE THAT JUST RECENTLY UNDER THE EUROPEAN CIVIL PROTECTION AND HUMANITARIAN AID OPERATION, DG ECHO, FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION, YOU LAUNCHED ANOTHER PROJECT IN MONZE, THE OTHER PROJECTS BEING IN NAMWALA, MAZABUKA AND CHOMA, FOCUSSING ON DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RISK REDUCTION. THIS IS HIGHLY COMMENDABLE.

WE FURTHER APPRECIATE ZRCS FOR MOBILIZING TO SUPPORT PUBLIC AUTHORITIES TO RESPOND TO THE CURRENT OUTBREAK OF ANTHRAX IN THE COUNTRY THROUGH A “ONE HEALTH APPROACH”. YOUR INSTITUTION CONTINUES TO COME TO THE TABLE WHEN THE GOVERNMENT REQUIRES ASSISTANCE. WE WOULD FURTHER APPRECIATE IF ZRCS WOULD SUPPORT GOVERNMENT IN RESPONDING TO THE CURRENT FOOD INSECURITY IN SOME PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, AS INDICATED IN THE 2023 ZAMBIA VULNERABILITY AND CAPACITY ASSESSMENT AND AS ANALYSED IN THE INTEGRATED FOOD SECURITY PHASE CLASSIFICATION (IPC) REPORT RECENTLY RELEASED BY GOVERNMENT

MULTI-STAKEHOLDER APPROACH IS THE ONLY WAY FOR THE NATION FOR US TO FULLY COMBAT THE HAZARDS THAT CONTINUE TO THREATEN US AS A COUNTRY. FURTHER, ATTAINMENT OF THE 2030 REQUIRES A NEW WAY OF WORKING, INVOLVING INTERSECTORAL ACTION BY MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS.

MAY I STATE THE GOVERNMENT ALSO TAKES ZRCS AS A CRITICAL PARTNER IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE, STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY HEALTH WHICH ARE KEY IN DRIVING THE UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE GIVEN ITS PRESENCE IN COMMUNITIES.

THE WORLD IS CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING VARIOUS THREATS, IN SOME CASES, EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND PROJECTED HAZARDS LIKE THE EL NINO THAT HAVE DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS ON THE PEOPLE AND THE ECONOMY. IT IS OF EXTREME IMPORTANCE THAT OUR PEOPLE ARE WELL VERSED WITH ANTICIPATORY ACTION, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND DISASTER RISK REDUCTION, AS IT GREATLY REDUCES THE IMPACT OF DISASTERS. IT IS GRATIFYING TO NOTE THAT ZAMBIA RED CROSS SOCIETY HAS A GREAT FOCUS ON THIS.  WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE ALSO WORKING WITH OTHER LINE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND MINISTRIES, LIKE DMMU, MINISTRY OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL SERVICES, WHICH IS EXCELLENT, BECAUSE THEN WE KNOW THAT YOUR INTERVENTIONS WILL BE IN TANDEM WITH GOVERNMENT ASPIRATIONS AND APPROACH.

GOVERNMENT IS AWARE OF THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES THAT ZRCS IS FACING AND THAT THE GRANT RECEIVED FROM GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO IMPACTFULLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE CORE COST OF THE INSTITUTION. GOVERNMENT WILL CONSIDER REVISING UPWARDS IN FUTURE TO HELP SUSTAIN THE INSTITUTION. 

AS YOU MEET AT THIS CONVENTION, TAKE NOTE THAT WE LOOK FORWARD TO POSITIVE OUTCOME THAT WILL ACCELERATE THE TRANSFORMATION AND STRENGTHEN THE ORGANIZATION AND MAKE IT FIT FOR PURPOSE IN A SUSTAINABLE MANNER, IN LINE WITH THE THEME. “RANSFORMATION FOR PROGRESS AND STAINABILIY” I SAY THIS BECAUSE YOUR INSTITUTION IS VITAL TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR COUNTRY AS IT FOCUSES ON THE VULNERABLE AND THE UNDERSERVED IN SOCIETY, WHICH IS EQUALLY THE CONSTITUENCY OF FOCUS FOR GOVERNMENT IN ITS DEVELOPMENTAL AGENDA.

COUNCIL OF DELEGATES AS YOU MEET TODAY, REMEMBER THAT ALL YOUR ACTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS ARE CRITICAL TO THE INTEGRITY AND SUSTAINABILITY THE INSTITUTION

ONCE AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION AND I WISH YOU THE BEST IN ALL YOUR DELIBERATIONS.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL.