The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) had assisted in the provision of reproductive health services in 176 health facilities in the North-Eastern part of the country. The Fund’s Country Representative in Nigeria, Mrs Ratidzai Ndhlovu, made the disclosure at a meeting to review the health sector humanitarian response in the North-East on Thursday in Abuja. Ndhlovu said the meeting was aimed at addressing the health needs of the people. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting, co-organised by the Federal Ministry of Health, the UNFPA and the Japanese Government is to ascertain the current health needs, as well as priorities for the North-Eastern states in 2016.She noted other interventions by the organisation to include the provision of gender and culturally-psychosocial supports to 14,845 survivors of violence in communities and IDP camps, among others. According to her, the Fund also helped in strengthening the capacity of key humanitarian organisations through the conduct of training on Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for reproductive health crises and clinical management of rape. Ndhlovu, however, attributed this giant stride on the support of the Japanese Government, the federal and state governments, Red Cross Society and ActionAids.
She also lauded the positive response of the Japanese Government in the quest to reduce the sufferings of people affected by insurgency in the country. She added that “UNFPA in Nigeria has continued to intensify its humanitarian interventions, especially in the North-East since 2013, using its internal resources and funding received from external donors, including the Government of Japan. “The major components of our interventions is reproductive health services and provision and response to gender-based violence, including psychosocial support.
“UNFPA currently supports the provision of sexual reproductive health services in 176 facilities, with cumulative 4.2 million beneficiary population, including 50,000 women who delivered in assisted health facilities. “It assisted the establishment and running of Gender Based Violence sub-working groups and referral pathways for effective response coordination.’’ Reviewing the humanitarian situation in the North-East, Dr Salma Anas-Kolo, the Director, Special Project, Federal Ministry of Health, attributed terrorism and conflict to global insecurity.
She said “so far, a total number of 338 schools have been destroyed, 357 teachers and 314 students killed and more than 276 students abducted in Borno, among others. “The situation is that so far more local government areas in the three states have been liberated from the insurgents. “The way out is to provide coordinated, comprehensive, integrated health sector humanitarian response to mitigate the impact of the insurgency, conflicts and allied matters on the health sector response.
“The way forward is to reposition and restructure the Federal Ministry of Health to effectively coordinate and respond to the health sector humanitarian crises. “The success of the health sector response depends on effective collaboration, coordination and integration.’’ (NAN)
Source: Leadership Online
