Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) President, Innocent Majiya, has described the National Response Team (NRT) training which the organization conducted for its staff and other stakeholders, as important saying it will help in punctual disaster management and humanitarian response.

Majiya was speaking in Mchinji on Tuesday, during the closing of a seven day National Response Team Training for the Red Cross volunteers staff, and other stakeholders drawn from all the districts.

“As per its mandate MRCS continues to be a key partner of the Malawi Government in responding to emergencies. It is from this background that the NRT training drilled the participants with a multi-sectoral approach to handling emergencies.”

“The importance of these trainings cannot be overemphasized as it does not only provide the response capacity but also covers the areas of work responsibility, professionalism, teamwork, leadership, communication, cultural sensitivity, punctuality and participation.”

Director in the Department of Disaster Management Affairs responsible for Risk Reduction, Dyce Nkhoma, said the training by MRCS, is one of the strategic directions of government of developing the capacity of Disaster Response Management participants so that they should know what to do and at what time.

The training covered topics such as Code of Conduct; Understanding Disaster Risk; Health in emergencies; water, sanitation and hygiene; Administration for Effective Disaster Management; Preparedness for Effective Response; Protection Emergency Shelter; and, Psychosocial Support among others.

International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Swiss Red Cross and the Government of Malawi funded the trainings.