International Red Cross Society (IRCS) has expressed the desire to assist in providing health and medical services in Chhattisgarh's Naxal-hit areas,official sources said today. IRCS has also offered to train police officials and employees in administering first aid,they said,adding Red Cross wants to work in tribal-dominated Dantewada and Bijapur districts,badly hit by Maoist violence. A delegation led by Yahia Alibi,IRCS's deputy regional chief based in India,yesterday met Chief Minister Raman Singh here and apprised him about the voluntary humanitarian organisation's offer,the sources said. Singh appreciated IRCS's sentiments and assured adequate security when the organisation starts providing health and medical services in the state,they added. IRCS has proposed to provide two mobile ambulances equipped with modern facilities. According to sources,the chief minister suggested that these ambulances can be operated under the supervision of local health officials of the two districts as they have good knowledge about the villages and the terrain. Alibi told Singh that IRCS wants to set up a rehabilitation centre for the disabled in Dantewada district,the sources added.
