Group photo of the participants at the training.
By Landing Ceesay
The Organization of Islamic Corporation (OIC) Gambia Secretariat has kicked off a comprehensive three-day First Aid training program for its staff in anticipation of the upcoming 15th OIC Summit scheduled later this year in the country.
The training, conducted by The Gambia Red Cross, is designed to equip the staff of OIC Gambia and the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center (SDKJ-ICC) with essential skills to effectively handle emergencies during the significant Summit.
Ambassador Yankuba Dibba, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Gambia Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, emphasized the critical role of First Aid training in the overall preparations for the OIC Summit. He highlighted the importance of addressing not only infrastructural development but also the crucial aspect of event planning, emphasizing the need for a safe and secure environment for the delegates.
“The reason we are doing this training is that we have done so much preparation. Most of the things the OIC is associated with are infrastructural development projects. If you talk about the OIC, they talk about the roads, water, electricity, and the VVIP at the airport. But what is even more important at this stage is the event’s planning. If you agree with me, most of the countries that are coming here probably have better roads, better hotels, and better infrastructure than us.
“I can assure you that they will only be coming here mainly if two of their concerns are satisfied. The first concern, their advisers, will ask them whether the Gambia is a safe place for them to travel to. So that perception is very important. If they perceive the Gambia to be stable, and safe, they will come,” Ambassador Dibba told the gathering.
Acknowledging the potential impact of the guests’ perception on the success of the Summit, Ambassador Dibba identified two key concerns: the safety of the destination and the ability to address health concerns. He underlined the importance of First Aid training in showcasing The Gambia’s preparedness in safety and security. According to Ambassador Dibba, the training goes beyond the corporate level, emphasizing that health and safety are fundamental requirements.
“Secondly, if they perceive the Gambia where their health concerns can be addressed, they will come. You can address health concerns without having the capacity to be able to handle health and safety. So this training is extremely important. Because is going to put on record, the Gambia’s preparedness as far as safety and security are concerned. Secondly, this training is of utmost importance not so much at the corporate level, not so much because the OIC is happening. But health and safety is a requirement,” he said. The First Aid training, according to Ambassador Dibba, goes beyond the immediate requirements of the OIC Summit, extending to everyday life. Participants will learn valuable skills to handle accidents, fires, and other emergencies. With the anticipation of a large number of delegates, Ambassador Dibba emphasized the increased likelihood of health-related incidents, making the First Aid training even more crucial.
“So what you are going to gather here today, are life skills. These skills will live with you for the rest of your lives. These are skills you can pass it to generations yet unborn. Oftentimes we see accidents happen, our first instinct is to go and grab people. But is that the right way to handle an accident victim? We don’t know. So within these three days, we will learn how to handle such cases.
“We learn if there is a fire incident, and of course, we are expecting nothing less than 3,000 delegates, and we all know whenever you have more than a couple of people, the chances of diseases, the chances of accidents, the chances of trauma and everything are high,” Ambassador Dibba stated.
Meanwhile, Mr. Alasan Senghore, Secretary General of the Gambia Red Cross Society, praised the collaboration between the Gambia Red Cross and the OIC Gambia Secretariat. He emphasized the humanitarian nature of the Red Cross’s mission, stating that the training is legally mandated and rooted in saving lives as part of humanity, devoid of any religious affiliations.
“The Red Cross is established by an Act of Parliament, through the Geneva Convention, which is ratified by all the countries. So if we are doing anything, we are doing it because it is legally mandated. The Red Cross is not an NGO, and it is not affiliated with any religion. The cross has no religious connotation. Saving lives is part of humanity, that’s why this training is very important,” he said.