21 May – New Delhi: A major landslide struck the Nowabad area of Abi- Barek village, Argo district of Badakhshan in north-eastern Afghanistan after significant rainfall, causing significant loss of life and widespread damage to homes and agriculture. According to a report by the Provincial Government, an estimated 1,000 families have been affected and some 300 houses were destroyed. Local officials have reported more than 350 deaths and it is also feared that 2,700 people have been buried as a result of the landslide.
SPRINT is currently mobilising an emergency response to assist the relief efforts for survivors providing USD37,498 to support the work of IPPF’s Member Association, the Afghanistan Family Guidance Association (AFGA), to reach the communities located in camps within the Argo district of Badakhshan province in Afghanistan.
Through this response, SPRINT will reach out to the affected communities of 9000 people including 4500 females and 1800 children. SPRINT will provide life-saving sexual and reproductive services through its medical health clinic. The aim is to improve access to antenatal and post natal care for pregnant and lactating women and also provide clean and safe delivery, medical care for the new-borns, children, women and young men of reproductive age group. The clinics will provide services to prevent communicable diseases and meet the family planning needs of the community. SPRINT will also offer medical services and psychosocial support to the survivors of sexual and gender based violence. In addition, basic healthcare for common ailments will also be provided.
“SPRINT is responding to deliver the life-saving Sexual and Reproductive Health Services as outlined in the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for SRH services in crisis and post-crisis settings. SPRINT represents IPPF’s commitment to increasing access to SRH services for crisis-affected populations, who are among the most marginalized people worldwide. Through this response, working together with our Member Association-Afghanistan Family Guidance Association (AFGA), IPPF aims to provide the much needed and extremely essential sexual and reproductive health services to the crisis affected population of Badakhshan province, Afghanistan” announced Anjali Sen, Regional Director for South Asia Region, IPPF.
The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), a leading provider of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services has been responding to this humanitarian crisis through the SPRINT Initiative (Sexual and Reproductive Programme in Crisis and Post-crisis Situations), an emergency response project led by IPPF.