Health activities

First aid

According to the Law on Red Cross, Montenegro Red Cross is conferred with the affairs of public interest, in whose conducting it has the auxiliary role to the government in the humanitarian field. Besides First aid training for the population in the ordinary and extraordinary situations, the Law specifies training for trainers, First aid training for drivers, as well as first aid trainings for the other target groups (police, firefighters and protection at work).

First aid is the set of procedures and measures that save life and health of the injured person, and it is used on the spot.

The aim of providing First aid is that the injured person as soon as possible arrives at the health center, in the best possible condition. Every person should know how to provide first aid for himself/herself and for the one who needs it. First aid has to be provided as soon as possible, without waiting for the medical staff, because that could be wasting of precious time, and sometimes delay can endanger life of the injured person.

First aid is one of the priority programmes in Montenegro Red Cross. It exists within the other programees, such as Disaster preparedness and response and Water rescue, where every life guard is obliged to pass the firs aid training. We are conducting regular trainings and exercises of the Disaster management teams, which are consisted of the first aid teams, among others, and we organize simulations of a crisis situation (traffic accident, floods, earthquakes, fires), and demonstrate preparedness of a team to provide support in different situations.

The basic rules of first aid are the following: protect yourself and don’t risk your life, and then help the injured persons in a professional way.

First aid training is conducted according to the unique programme, aligned with the European doctrinaire standards in the area of first aid, and programmes and plans for the realistic display of injuries and disease.

Voluntary blood donation

Montenegro Red Cross traditionally, within the regular activities of voluntary blood activities, implements activities of motivation and gathering of voluntary blood donors; promotes blood donation; keeps records; in cooperation with the health institutions, organizes actions of voluntary blood donations; establishes conditions for awarding voluntary blood donors. General activity of Red Cross in this area is formalized through positive legislation of the state of Montenegro, meaning that conducting above mentioned affairs is conferred to Red Cross, according to the Law on Montenegro Red Cross. These are affairs of public interest and Red Cross has the auxiliary role to the government in the humanitarian area, while conducting these affairs.

Non-remunerated voluntary blood donors are organized in clubs, which mostly function within Red Cross.

Normative acts of Montenegro Red Cross defines conditions for awarding for persons who donated blood 5,10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 75 and 100 times. For the first donation, the award is given in the Blood Transfusion Centre, when the donor receives booklet for voluntary blood donor.

Blood donation is established according to the ethnic principles: voluntary, non-remunerated and anonymous.

On the occasion of May 11th, Voluntary Blood Donors Day in Montenegro, Ministry of Health in the Government of Montenegro, on the proposal of Montenegro Red Cross, recognizes and provides adequate awards for the most deserving blood donor, for the most active Club of VBD, for the promoter in the area of educational-motivational work; for the physician and medical assistant in transfusiology. This represents a significant way of motivation.

Montenegro Red Cross also accomplishes motivation accomplishes through other Red Cross activities, by itself, or with the support from the government: provides summer and winter vacation for the blood donors, organizes meetings and gatherings; works with the youth in high schools, etc.

Responsibilities of Montenegro Red Cross are defined in the Law on Blood provision, adopted by the Assembly of Montenegro on November 27th 2007, according to which Montenegro Red Cross is the carrier of the motivational-educational work with voluntary blood donors.

Government of Montenegro provides certain benefits, depending on the number of donations, such as free medical check ups, medicine, orthopedic apparatus, diagnostic methods and hospital treatment.

Due to the fact that blood not only is living, but also renewable tissue, and that healthy organism produces larger quantities of this precious liquid, regular blood donation signifies a present that can be given in a safe and non-harmful way, without the fear that it will negatively effect psycho-physical abilities of the person-donor, or that it will speed up the aging process.

According to the WHO and IFRC standards, appropriate and sustainable level of blood supply is 5% of the total population who are regular blood donors. In the most non-developed countries, number of blood donors is below 1%. In Montenegro, there are 2.14% of blood donors, with the unfavorable structure. The main goal is to reach the percentage of 5% of the total population who should be non-remunerated donate blood donors, out of altruistic reasons.

HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis prevention

First case of HIV/ AIDS in Montenegro was officially registered in 1989. The total cumulative number of registered HIV/AIDS cases by the end of 2008. was 89 (47 AIDS and 42 HIV). According to the estimations from the Institute for Public Health, the number of HIV positive persons by the end of 2008. was 388 (300-500), and regional trends are showing the increased transmission of HIV. Out of 47 persons who are diagnosed with AIDS, 30 died.

Montenegro Red Cross is traditionally dealing with the issue of HIV/AIDS prevention and sexually transmitted disease, and in cooperation with other institutions and organizations who are dealing with this issue, organized different educational activities.

Also, the Goals of the Global Agenda of the International Federation of Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies, and Montenegro Cross is its member, commit our organization to an active approach in the area of sexually transmitted disease and addiction prevention.

All the activities are focused on the strengthening of voluntary basis in the local Red Cross branches and training of certain number of young people who are actively treating these issues in their local communities as peer educators.

Montenegro Red Cross, as executive partner of UNHCR in camp Konik, works on HIV transmission prevention with RAE population, as the part of programme which deals with RAE population. Montenegro Red Cross also cooperates with other organizations regarding this issue.

The main goals of the programme are:

Education and establishment of the team of experts in Montenegro Red Cross who could implement the activities in the area of HIV/AIDS,
Networking and strengthening the cooperation with the institutions and organizations in the country, as well as with the components of the Movement who are dealing with this issue,
Reduction of stigma and discrimination of HIV infected persons,
Awareness raising and knowledge sharing on HIV/AIDS among general.

Accomplished results within HIV/AIDS Prevention programme:

Representatives of Montenegro Red Cross participated in many seminars and actions on HIV/AIDS. We are traditionally celebrating December 1st, World Aids Day, when local Red Cross branches implements different activities (distribution of the promotional material, organization of education tribunes, performance),
Established cooperation with the governmental institutions, such as Ministry of Health, Institute for Public Health, which resulted in membership in the National Coordinating Body, which provides the possibility for receiving funds from the HIV/AIDS Global Fund.
Implemented projects that deal with prevention of sexually transmitted disease
Promotional material printed.

Montenegro Red Cross is the member of ERNA (European Red Cross/Red Crescent Network on HIV/AIDS & TB).

In the area of TB prevention, Montenegro Red Cross organizes educational lectures, tribunes, distribution of promotional material, so as to inform general population about this disease – its causes, symptoms, ways of transmission, treatment, protection.

TB Week, from September 14-21 is one of the manifestations of Montenegro Red Cross, when local Red Cross branches implement different kind of activities.