Report on resolution 4:
– Date: 28.07.2019
– Country: Italy
– Type of entity: National Society
– Which measures have you put in place in order to enhance the secure functioning of health care facilities and medical transport?
In December 2018, the Italian Red Cross (ITRC) launched its national campaign “Non sono un bersaglio” (I am not a target) in order to implement the “Health Care in Danger” Resolution approved during the last International Conference. In order to raise awareness in our country on an increasing phenomenon that is not still mapped, an external communication campaign was launched through social media, national TV channels, stadiums and theatres. Besides that, we developed a logo, a few materials to support good practices among our volunteers and medical units in order to prevent aggression and violence. The Italian Red Cross appointed a volunteer as a National Focal Point, supported by a team of 10 volunteers and 21 Regional Focal Points. More than 100 IHL instructors have been trained with a specific knowledge on Health Care in Danger and more than 1000 volunteers received a basic knowledge on the phenomenon. In the last six months, more than 150 activities were developed in Italy to raise awareness among people on the importance of the protection of health care personnel and its neutrality in case of conflicts. The ItRC set an Observatory to collect, assess and prevent aggressions to its volunteers. The campaign included an international conference on the role of health care personnel in contexts of crisis with participation from the ICRC and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. Last June, a representative from the ItRC attended the MENA regional meeting on HCiD in Beirut, presenting the campaign and its development. The campaign is supported by the European Commission, the Ministry of Health and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. Last July, a delegation of the ItRC was invited by the Italian President of the Republic and, among the other issues discussed, it was given a short presentation of the Campaign.
– Which concrete actions have you conducted to collect and analyze data related to violence against health care? How did you use this information to develop practical measures to address such violence?
The ItRC set an Observatory to collect, assess and prevent aggressions to its volunteers. In compliance with national and European legislation, the questionnaire, that each volunteer can fill out, collects data such as gender of the aggressor and volunteer, place and time, nature of aggression (verbal/physical), information about the aggressor (single/multiple, friend/relative), etc. On the basis of the data collected, the ItRC will assess and elaborate proposals to mitigate the risks related to the voluntary service. A first report on the data collected will be published at the end of 2019.
– What decisions have you taken to enhance your staff and volunteers’ understanding of the rights and responsibilities of health care personnel? In addition, have you implemented concrete measures (e.g. Safer Access Framework) to ensure the safety of health care delivery?
The materials developed for the campaign include a list of good practices and behavior to follow during the first-aid and first-response activities made by our volunteers and other organizations with a similar scope. A debriefing always follows every activity deployed by the ItRC teams in order to highlight volunteers’ duties and responsibilities and, in case of aggression, a defusing session to provide the assistance required to volunteers. How have you been cooperating across various Ministries of Government, and with other relevant stakeholders, including the Red Cross Red Crescent Societies, health-care professional associations and civil society, in your country to increase the safety of provision of and access to health care? * The ItRC has established a few Memorandum of Understandings with other organizations involved in first-aid response, associations of doctors and other national stakeholders with the multiple goals of: • Address the public opinion and the national authorities on the matter;
• Collect data on the phenomenon;
• Share best practices. The campaign included an international conference on the role of health care personnel in contexts of crisis with participation from the ICRC and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. Last June, a representative from the ItRC attended the MENA regional meeting on HCiD in Beirut, presenting the campaign and its development.
– As an auxiliary to your government, which activities have you initiated to promote, advocate for, and address the issue of violence against health care with your government?
The ItRC is constantly involved in the training of military personnel, either in Italy and abroad in operative contexts with more than 50 courses organized every year on IHL. The training includes a dedicated session on the neutrality of sick and wounded, the protection of medical personnel and units and protection of the emblem. The last training in an operative context was given at the beginning of 2019 with a training in Shama, Leabon at the UNIFIL-SECWEST-CO.
Report Resolution Health Care in Danger – 32nd International Conference Additional material – Italian Red Cross Image 1: A replica of a health unit under attack during Solferino 2019. Visitors could have an immersive experience in two tents: one showed as a health unit should be and the other one showed a health unit evacuated after an attack with a medical operator dead. Image 2: A replica of a health unit under attack during an activity in Udine (Italy) in a public square. The activity showed up a medical tent evacuated after an attack. The Italian Red Cross campaign “Non sono un bersaglio” brings the Health Care in Danger campaign in Italy. The campaign included: +100 IHL instructors specialized on HCiD; +1000 volunteers trained on HCiD; +150 training activities and exhibitions all over Italy.
Additional materials.
– Country: Italy
– Type of entity: National Society
– Which measures have you put in place in order to enhance the secure functioning of health care facilities and medical transport?
In December 2018, the Italian Red Cross (ITRC) launched its national campaign “Non sono un bersaglio” (I am not a target) in order to implement the “Health Care in Danger” Resolution approved during the last International Conference. In order to raise awareness in our country on an increasing phenomenon that is not still mapped, an external communication campaign was launched through social media, national TV channels, stadiums and theatres. Besides that, we developed a logo, a few materials to support good practices among our volunteers and medical units in order to prevent aggression and violence. The Italian Red Cross appointed a volunteer as a National Focal Point, supported by a team of 10 volunteers and 21 Regional Focal Points. More than 100 IHL instructors have been trained with a specific knowledge on Health Care in Danger and more than 1000 volunteers received a basic knowledge on the phenomenon. In the last six months, more than 150 activities were developed in Italy to raise awareness among people on the importance of the protection of health care personnel and its neutrality in case of conflicts. The ItRC set an Observatory to collect, assess and prevent aggressions to its volunteers. The campaign included an international conference on the role of health care personnel in contexts of crisis with participation from the ICRC and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. Last June, a representative from the ItRC attended the MENA regional meeting on HCiD in Beirut, presenting the campaign and its development. The campaign is supported by the European Commission, the Ministry of Health and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. Last July, a delegation of the ItRC was invited by the Italian President of the Republic and, among the other issues discussed, it was given a short presentation of the Campaign.
– Which concrete actions have you conducted to collect and analyze data related to violence against health care? How did you use this information to develop practical measures to address such violence?
The ItRC set an Observatory to collect, assess and prevent aggressions to its volunteers. In compliance with national and European legislation, the questionnaire, that each volunteer can fill out, collects data such as gender of the aggressor and volunteer, place and time, nature of aggression (verbal/physical), information about the aggressor (single/multiple, friend/relative), etc. On the basis of the data collected, the ItRC will assess and elaborate proposals to mitigate the risks related to the voluntary service. A first report on the data collected will be published at the end of 2019.
– What decisions have you taken to enhance your staff and volunteers’ understanding of the rights and responsibilities of health care personnel? In addition, have you implemented concrete measures (e.g. Safer Access Framework) to ensure the safety of health care delivery?
The materials developed for the campaign include a list of good practices and behavior to follow during the first-aid and first-response activities made by our volunteers and other organizations with a similar scope. A debriefing always follows every activity deployed by the ItRC teams in order to highlight volunteers’ duties and responsibilities and, in case of aggression, a defusing session to provide the assistance required to volunteers. How have you been cooperating across various Ministries of Government, and with other relevant stakeholders, including the Red Cross Red Crescent Societies, health-care professional associations and civil society, in your country to increase the safety of provision of and access to health care? * The ItRC has established a few Memorandum of Understandings with other organizations involved in first-aid response, associations of doctors and other national stakeholders with the multiple goals of: • Address the public opinion and the national authorities on the matter;
• Collect data on the phenomenon;
• Share best practices. The campaign included an international conference on the role of health care personnel in contexts of crisis with participation from the ICRC and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. Last June, a representative from the ItRC attended the MENA regional meeting on HCiD in Beirut, presenting the campaign and its development.
– As an auxiliary to your government, which activities have you initiated to promote, advocate for, and address the issue of violence against health care with your government?
The ItRC is constantly involved in the training of military personnel, either in Italy and abroad in operative contexts with more than 50 courses organized every year on IHL. The training includes a dedicated session on the neutrality of sick and wounded, the protection of medical personnel and units and protection of the emblem. The last training in an operative context was given at the beginning of 2019 with a training in Shama, Leabon at the UNIFIL-SECWEST-CO.
Report Resolution Health Care in Danger – 32nd International Conference Additional material – Italian Red Cross Image 1: A replica of a health unit under attack during Solferino 2019. Visitors could have an immersive experience in two tents: one showed as a health unit should be and the other one showed a health unit evacuated after an attack with a medical operator dead. Image 2: A replica of a health unit under attack during an activity in Udine (Italy) in a public square. The activity showed up a medical tent evacuated after an attack. The Italian Red Cross campaign “Non sono un bersaglio” brings the Health Care in Danger campaign in Italy. The campaign included: +100 IHL instructors specialized on HCiD; +1000 volunteers trained on HCiD; +150 training activities and exhibitions all over Italy.
Additional materials.
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