Japanese ambassador happy with Red Cross society’s work |04 June 2022

Ambassador Okaniwa in discussion with Ms Esparon

The newly accredited ambassador of Japan to Seychelles, Ken Okaniwa, met with the secretary general of the Red Cross Society of Seychelles on Praslin recently as part of his official visit to the country.

The aim of the meeting was to have an update and view the ambulance that was donated to the RCSS under the Japanese Embassy Grant in 2017.

The ambulance was specifically donated for Praslin to assist the local community and the Ministry of Health during emergencies. But it is also being used by the Seychelles Police in its search and rescue operations, the Ministry of Health during Covid-19 situations and as first aid standby. 

Ambassador Okaniwa was satisfied with the way the ambulance is being used.
The RCSS has also benefitted from the Japanese Grant Assistance from the Japanese NGO Project. This was to support the National Society in developing its organisational capacities, an initiative jointly supported by the International Federation of the Red Cross/Red Crescent (IFRC).

Meanwhile efforts to provide assistance to the local community is continuous even if the number of Covid- 19 cases have drastically gone down.

And on the same day, the RCSS with the support of the USAID and PIROI (Plateforme d’Intervention Ocean Indien) donated some four hundred (400) masks, hand sanitisers and antiseptic wipes to the Baie Ste Anne Hospital on Praslin. The masks and antiseptic wipes are donations from PIROI. The RCSS and PIROI have a long-standing partnership of more than 20 years. PIROI, a branch of the French Red Cross, based in Reunion Island, supports the National Society in disaster risk reduction activities.

Nurse manager of Praslin, Myra Ernesta received the donation from the RCSS logistics officer, Michel Simeon, in the presence of the secretary general of the RCSS, Marie-May Esparon. Fifteen (15) volunteers have been trained by the Ministry of Health in conducting PCR tests.

Ms Ernesta welcomed the donation, noting that the items are vital in curbing the spread of Covid-19. She hopes that this will culminate into a more fruitful collaboration, where the two parties will be more involved in other activities on Praslin. Similar donations will be done to La Digue Hospital and Ministry of Health, Ms Esparon noted. 

Press release and photos from the RCSS