Humanitarian aid through the Red Cross in the Vitebsk region in 2009 exceeded Br1.5 billion.

February 4, Vitebsk / Sergey Kochetov - BELTA /. The Vitebsk regional organization of the Belarusian Red Cross Society (BRCS) with the support of international organizations in 2009 allocated over Br1.5 billion for social projects, and also provided humanitarian assistance to citizens and healthcare facilities in the region. This was reported to a BELTA correspondent by the chairman of the regional BRCS organization, Galina Zhelanova. The main part of the humanitarian aid was intended for equipping the material and technical base of healthcare facilities and nursing homes. Thus, partner organizations of the German Red Cross provided functional beds, furniture, wheelchairs, and rehabilitation equipment for the Sennenskaya and Novolukomlskaya district hospitals, the regional diagnostic center, Vitebsk maternity hospital No. 2, and the regional dental clinic – a total of more than 10 healthcare facilities in the region. Hygiene products for nursing homes were sent by organizations of the Swiss Red Cross. Under the "Humanitarian Aid to Vulnerable Groups" program, city and district BRCS organizations distributed food packages worth Br53 million, which were received by almost 700 low-income and most socially vulnerable residents of the region. Cooperation in the humanitarian sphere between the Vitebsk regional organization of the BRCS and foreign partners will continue in 2010. It is expected that aid from the German, Swiss, Austrian, and Swedish Red Cross societies will amount to at least Br600 million. Agreements on the supply of functional beds have been reached with colleagues from the German Red Cross. Such assistance will be directed, in particular, to equipping a hospice organized on the basis of the Oktyabrskaya district hospital. The implementation of the "Humanitarian Aid to Vulnerable Groups" project will continue with the support of international organizations, added Galina Zhelanova. -0-