To strengthen resilience of communities

12. Preventing Infectious Diseases

These activities to prevent infectious diseases range from sanitation efforts by medical professionals to hand sanitization, clean-up activities, and awareness-raising activities led by local volunteers.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers distributed food and masks to those quarantining at home, promoted the use of rubbing alcohol, and provided other forms of assistance. At the same time, anxiety about the unknown virus and misinformation led to widespread discrimination and prejudice against health care workers and those infected. In response, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement developed guidelines and worked to raise awareness about the handling of information and its psychosocial effects. (For an example from the COVID-19 pandemic, see “Three faces of the COVID-19 we must be alert to”: https://www.jrc.or.jp/english/jrc_news/200416_006156.html )

There are many other infectious diseases that can undermine people’s health, including the three major ones: HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. In humanitarian crises such as disasters and conflicts, the risk of infection spreading increases dramatically. In addition to early warning and rapid response, it is crucial to educate and raise awareness about preventive measures on a daily basis.