ISLAMABAD: President Arif Alvi Tuesday said that presently, only 2 per cent Pakistanis  were donating blood and there was a need to motivate people in this regard  through various available platforms, including mosques. The first aid services played a critical role in saving precious human lives and  the Pakistan Red Crescent (PRC) was rendering admirable services, the  president said in a briefing given by the Pakistan Red Crescent at the  Aiwan-e-Sadr.

According to a press release, the President underscored that PRC, being  the leading humanitarian organization of Pakistan having partnerships with  other world organizations, should play the central role in networking with  other similar private sector organizations in the country.

He said that PRC should also ensure liaison with provincial governments and  other related organization in the provinces for the capacity building of the  volunteers and workers, particularly in providing the first aid.

The PRC is currently providing services and support in the areas of food  items, water sanitation, hygiene, health care, psychosocial support, restoring  family link services, emergency & permanent shelter, and livelihood support.

It has 132 ambulances, 1.8 million registered volunteers for blood donation,  7 blood banks, disaster preparedness stock for 20,000 families, and 1775  disaster response members.

The PRC is also extending its support for eradicating polio from Pakistan  through routine immunization in collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and for strengthening primary healthcare services in Balochistan.