This year, the mission of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in South Ossetia continued to provide social and economic assistance, both to human settlements and families. As the news agency "Res" was informed at the press service of the ICRC, from January to June 2013, the organization had transported 102 gravely sick patients to the health clinics in Georgia.
"The transportations were carried out for patients in need of emergency or routine medical care. Also, as part of the program of home-based visits, the Mission employees have been regularly visiting 13 elderly people in Tskhinval and in the districts of South Ossetia to provide them sanitary care, "- said at the press service.
From the beginning of its activities in South Ossetia the Red Cross assisted in restoration of the water supply and improvement of living conditions.
"In 2013, the ICRC provided the pipes to Znaur district administration for supplying the village Prineu with drinking water, and assessed the situation in 14 villages for further works on supplying them with drinking water. In addition, within the framework of assistance to the most vulnerable residents the ICRC renovated housing for six families, "- was told at the press service of the Mission.
From January to June, 2013 the Red Cross has implemented 43 projects within the framework of the Program for micro-economic projects.
" The ICRC has been regularly providing the most vulnerable groups of the population with food and other commodities. In 2013, 232 families were provided such kind of aid "- said at the press service.
As part of the restoration of family ties and delivering aid to the families of the missing citizens, the ICRC has taken steps to clarify the fate of the persons who are missing since 2008, as well as since 1989-1992.
"For six months, the ICRC in cooperation with the South Ossetian NGO "Memory" held 15 group meetings for the families of the missing persons, where they were provided psycho-social aid. NGO "Memory" is the executive partner of the ICRC in the implementation of this program. For the purpose of effective communication and monitoring the results, the ICRC conducted 30 meetings with members of the organization. In addition, the ICRC acts as a neutral intermediary in the work of the Tripartite Mechanism on searching for the missing persons, within the framework of which in April, 2013 was held the seventh meeting, "
The Red Cross also visits people detained in South Ossetia and Georgia to assess the physical and psychological conditions of their detention. With the assistance of the ICRC relatives of both Georgians and Ossetians, detained on both sides of the state border, were able to visit the detainees and send them parcels.
As to the Mine Mission, the Red Cross is carrying out activities to inform the public about the danger posed by explosive remnants of war.
One of the priorities of the ICRC in South Ossetia, as noted in the Mission, is to spread knowledge of international humanitarian law among the armed forces and law-enforcement officers, students and schoolchildren.
It should be noted that the ICRC has been working in South Ossetia since 1992. In 2004, the Mission opened its office in Tskhinval and currently the Red Cross is the only international organization functioning in the Republic.
