LAHORE: Emergency Services Department (ESD) Secretary Dr. Rizwan Naseer has invited world teams to participate in the International Rescue Challenge-2024.
He extended the invitation during the United Nations INSARAG Steering Group and WHO Emergency Medical Teams meetings. The Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week (HNPW) in Geneva on 6-10 May, 2024 is one of the largest humanitarian meeting of 2024. The participants discussed enhancing international cooperation for swift disaster response.
Dr Rizwan, being the technical focal point of United Nations INSARAG Classified Pakistan Rescue Team (PRT), invited all international teams to participate in the 1st International Challenge going to be held in Lahore. As a result of this United Nations INSARAG Certification of Pakistan Rescue Teams, Pakistan holds the INSARAG chair for Asia Pacific Region and shall also hold the Asia Pacific Earthquake Response Exercise in October 2024.
Dr Rizwan offered that Emergency Services Academy (Rescue 1122) in collaboration
with United Nations could train South Asian countries. He also offered support to Asia Pacific Region for their capacity building in specialized fields like Search and Rescue (SAR), Height Rescue, Deep Well Rescue, Confined Space Extrication, Trauma management, etc.
Dr. Rizwan Naseer emphasised that the upcoming International Rescue Challenge would be a unique opportunity for rescue teams to share and learn from each other’s experiences, promoting a culture of collaboration and mutual support. He said that by gathering INSARAG certified teams for the International Rescue Challenge from diverse backgrounds and regions with different experiences, the event would facilitate to exchange of best practices and innovative approaches to respond to disasters to save lives.