Voluntary health agencies in India, such as the Indian Red Cross Society, are autonomous organizations focused on health promotion, education, and legislation, largely funded by private sources. They serve critical roles in community health by providing direct services, training, and disaster relief, while also working alongside government agencies to enhance health outcomes. Despite their advantages in community acceptance and flexibility, these organizations face limitations related to management practices and targeting of services.

1. Voluntary health agencies

2. • A voluntary health agencies may be defined as an
organization that is administered by an autonomous
board which holds meetings collects funds for its
supports chiefly from private sources and expends
money whether with or without paid workers in
conducting a programme directed to public
health by providing the health services or health
education or legislation for health.
• voluntary health agencies has its own administrative
body or committee which raises fund through its
membership or through private sources. It has staff
either paid or on voluntary basis. Works for health
promotion, health education & health legislation etc.

3. • Direct services or assistance to individual. This
includes the activities such as patient care, nursing,
visiting service, provision of consultations. Training
and supervision of voluntary workers, Preparation
and dissemination of public information materials,
provides materials for H.E and carries on mass
health education works.
• Creating a sense of responsibilities through direct
involvement
• Channelize the human resources
• Flexibility and experimentation
• Initiative and leadership

4. • Advancing health legislation
• Policy formation through interpretation of
public opinion.
• Supplementing the work of official
agencies
• Supplements the effort of government
• Help to program implementation.
• Financial assistance through scholarships
or training grants

5.  For communicable diseases
 For Non-communicable Diseases
 For RCH
1) Tuberculosis Association of
India(TAI)
2) Hind Kusht Nivaran Sangh(HKNS)
3) All india blind relief society
4) Indian council for child welfare
5) Indian council for child welfare
6) Central social welfare board
7) The KASTURBA memorial fund
8) All india women’s conference
9) Child relief & you(cry)
 For rescue & relief 1) Indian red cross society
For family welfare planning 1) Family planning association of india
For rural health 1) Bharat sevak samaj
For community development 1) Voluntary health association of india
For Professional Activities 1) Indian medical association
2) Indian dental association
3) Trained nurses association of india
international voluntary health organization 1) Rotary international
2) Lions club international

6. ADVANTAGES:
• Better accepted
• Community participation is better in programs
• Programs are flexible and not rigid
• Not handicapped by bureaucratic and red tapism
• Work at fast pace and low operative costs
• Provide opportunity to individuals interested in social
work
LIMITATIONS:
• Programs are related to non-critical health problems
• Services not always targeted to those who are in
greatest need or area which needs them
most
• Programs often do not run according to modern
principles and techniques of management

8. • Abbreviation
• Founded:
• Founder:
• Type:
IRCS
3 March 1920
Claude Hill
Humanitarian
organisation
India
New Delhi
• Area served:
• Headquarters
:

9. • Red Cross Road
New Delhi - 110001
INDIA

10. PRESIDENT OF IRCS Droupadi Murmu
Honorable president of India
CHAIRMAN OF IRCS Dr. Mansulk Mandaviya
Minister of Health and Family Welfare
of India
VICE-CHAIRMAN OF IRCS Mr.AVINASH RAI KHANNA
SECRETARY GENERAL MR R K JAIN, IAS (RETD)
JOINT SECRETARY (ADDITIONAL CHARGE) DR ANOOP KUMAR PURI
DEPUTY SECRETARY SH. MANISH CHOUDHARY
DEPUTY SECRETARY SH. NEEL KAMAL SINGH
DIRECTOR (BLOOD BANK) DR. VANSHREE SINGH

11.  The Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) is a
voluntary humanitarian organization to protect human life
and health based in India.
 It is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent
Movement, and so shares the Fundamental Principles of
the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
 The society's mission is providing relief in times of
disasters/emergencies and promoting health & care of
vulnerable people and communities.
 It has a network of over 700 branches throughout
India.

12.  The IRCS has 35 State / Union Territories Branches with their more
than 700 districts and sub district branches.
 The President of India is the President of the IRCS..
 The Minister of Health and Family Welfare is the Chairman of the
Society.
 The National Managing Body consists of 19 members.
 The Chairman and 6 members of the managing body are
nominated by the President. The remaining 12 are elected by the
state and union territory branches through an electoral college.
 The Vice Chairman is elected by the members of the
Managing Body.
 The Managing Body is responsible for governance and supervision
of the functions of the society through a number of committees.
 The Secretary General is the Chief Executive of the Society.

13. PRESIDENT OF
IRCS
Honorable president of India
CHAIRMAN OF IRCS
Minister of Health and Family Welfare of India
VICE- CHAIRMAN OF IRCS
MANAGING BODY
19 member-6 nominated by president
12 elected by state and union territory
branches

14. DIRECTORS
DEPUTY SECRETARY
SECRETARY GENERAL
Appointed by the managing body
JOINT SECRETARY
)

15. 1.Humanity
2. Impartiality
3. Neutrality
4. Independence
5. Voluntary service
6. Unity
7. Universality

16.  Relief Work
 Milk & medical Supplies
 Armed forces
 Maternal & child welfare
societies
 Family planning
 Blood bank & first aid

17.  Disaster relief
 Disaster Response
 Disaster Preparedness
 Maternity and child welfare services-
 Hospital welfare and Hospital Services:
 Health education
 Nursing services
 First aid and ambulances
 Blood bank services
 The IRCS is very active in the prevention Of HIV /
AIDS
 Home for Disabled Servicemen
 Vocational Training Centre (V.T.C.)
 Tracing Activities:

18. • Disaster relief – in India the disaster relief by far is most important part
of the work of the red cross. The Indian red cross provides relief services for
the victims
E.g. – shelter, feeding and medical care in all major disaster.
It also provides clothing and other essential aids.
• Disaster Response
Poverty and war. Flooding and drought. Earthquakes and environmental
disasters. Billion people were affected by disasters in the past. The impact is
high; leaving people traumatised by the death of family and friends, their
lives devastated by the loss of homes, possessions and stocks of food.

19. • Disaster Preparedness
• The Indian Red Cross Society (with Federation support) initiated a
nation-wide Community Based Disaster Preparedness (CBDP)
training programme in 1999 after a series of awareness raising
workshops between 1996 and 1998. In 2000, the National Society
convened a national strategic planning workshop attended by 19
State Branches from which a strategic plan for DP/DR ( 2004-2007 )
was formulated and its activities are still continuing.

20. Health education
• The society give grate care and attention to the task of
educating the peoples especially the poor and backward
section among them, in matter relating to health. In
this services posters, pamphlets, slide and films are
prepared and distributed all over the country.

21. • Maternity and child welfare services- the
society’s maternity and child welfare bureau
provides technical advices and assistance to
its branches.
• Hospital welfare - the red cross home at
Bangalore for disabled ex servicemen is one
of the pioneer institution of its kind in India.

22. • Nursing services – the nursing section of the Indian red
cross society was created in 1959 to develop the red cross
nursing activities. The main function is to improve promote and
expand the home nursing program in the country by involving
the nurses in increasing numbers to participate in the program.
Red Cross MCW units teach home nursing skills to
auxiliary nurses, midwives and housewives.

23. • First aid and ambulances :-
• The ST. JOHN ambulance association which function as the
ambulance department of the IRC conduct teaching in first
aid, home nursing and allied subject.
• Blood bank services :- the society started in 1962 the
red cross blood bank in new Delhi. It encourages voluntary
donation of blood from healthy persons.

24. • Tracing Activities:
IRCS helps people trace or send massage to missing loved who have
been separated ones through forced, unseen and inevitable
circumstances when all other means of locating them have not
yielded results. It also reunites families who have been separated
under similar circumstances
• Hospital Services:
IRCS provides service for sick and wounded men of the defence
forces. Trained IRCS Lady Welfare Officers run welfare services for
these people in military Hospitals. The officers run and maintain
amenity stores and libraries as well as diversionary therapy
programmes such as teaching handicrafts to convalescing patients
encouraging ailing soldiers to participate in recreational activities and
to give Psychological support for their disability and sickness.
• Vocational Training Centre (V.T.C.):
The IRCS provides opportunities to increase vocational skills and the
earning opportunities of low-income groups and to raise the status of
women socially and economically by making them available
opportunities for learning and leadership