Indian Red Cross Society, Maharashtra state branch

The Maharashtra branch was founded in 1921. The Maharashtra State Red Cross is active in 29 districts. Honorable Minister of Health is the Chairman of the State Branch. Honorable Governor of Maharashtra is the President of the State Branch. The State Branch has played a marvelous historic role in all calamities such as Koyana earthquake in sixties, devastating famines in seventies, the bomb blasts and riots in Mumbai in nineties, the earth quakes in Latur and Osmanabad districts, Gujarat earthquake in January 2001, Tsunami in December 2004, Kosi River floods in Bihar in 2008, floods in Maharashtra in and terrorist attack on Taj Hotel and many other areas in Mumbai in November,2009 and many other state calamities.

Activities on state-level

• About 1, 00,000 units of Blood collected through 11 Blood Banks every year and Blood components provided to needy patients without any profit.
• Tuberculosis Sanatorium and special wards of HIV are run at Bel Air hospital (Panchagani).
• Bel Air College of Nursing at Panchagani.
• Workshops on Public Health in Emergencies.
• Disaster Management Training organized in District branches.
• Workshops on vulnerability and capacity assessment and Risk Reduction Programmes..
• State level pre-monsoon review.
• Mobile Health Unit in naxalite affected areas in Gadchiroli. Distribution of agricultural implements and seeds in Gadchiroli District.
• Emblem awareness campaigns.
• Tracing Activities and Restoring family links.
• Youth Peer Education program.
• Humanitarian Pandemic Preparedness Project for awareness on H1N1.