On 8th November 2024, the South Sudan Red Cross together with the International Committee of the Red Cross organized the National First Aid Competition in Juba with 10 out of 21 Branches across the country facing-off in a fierce competition to showcase their proficient live-saving skills in simulated emergency scenes: from handling trauma injuries to performing life-saving techniques.
While speaking during the National First Aid Competition event, the President of the South Sudan Red Cross, Joseph Dhuor emphasized on the need to conduct extensive first aid training across the country in order to equip the volunteers with essential first aid skills. “First aid is very important, and therefore we should render these live-saving skills to each one of our volunteers across our 21 branches and units to be able to tackle emergencies of any kind.
John Lobor, the Secretary General of the South Sudan Red Cross (SSRC) also highlighted the fundamental role of the SSRC in emergency response and the need to build the capacity of volunteers. "The National First Aid Competitions is organized to give our Emergency Action Teams across different Branches a platform to enhance their skills and realize their weaknesses and strengths, and how best they can improve their skills." John said.
The South Sudan Red Cross hosts the National First Aid Competition with an aim to strengthen the capacity of first responders known as Emergency Action Teams (EAT). On the other hand, the competition also serves as a testament to our dedication in prioritizing safety and emergency preparedness in order to promote well-being within the communities. The event was attended by representatives from the Partner National Societies, IFRC, county health representatives and other non-governmental organizations. Juba branch has now won the competition twice, Torit branch trice, Wau branch once and Tonj branch once.