"Emergency Reproductive Health (RH) Services through Mobile RH Outreach Services to Conflict Affected and Vulnerable Populations in Mugu and Salyan districts in Mid Western Region and Bajhang district in Far Western Region of Nepal."
KATHMANDU, Nepal, 6 January 2010 - The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Nepal is initiating a new project entitled "Emergency Reproductive Health (RH) Services through Mobile RH Outreach Services to Conflict Affected and Vulnerable Populations in Mugu and Salyan districts in Mid Western Region and Bajhang district in Far Western Region of Nepal". ADRA Nepal is implementing this project with financial support from ECHO (Humanitarian Aid department of the European Commission) through UNFPA Nepal.
The overall goal of this project is to improve reproductive health of conflict affected and vulnerable populations through mobile reproductive health camps and other support services such as identifying and counseling gender based violence cases; providing knowledge on family planning methods, sexually transmitted infections, including HIV and AIDS, and prevention and treatment of uterine prolapse. At least 150 women will receive surgery to correct severe uterine prolapse and an estimated 20,655 people will receive basic and reproductive health treatment at mobile camps.
Local health service providers will receive training on treating basic reproductive health problems, pressury ring insertions, and Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) applicable in the emergency situations. General community awareness will be raised on preventative and general reproductive health care, uterine prolapse and HIV/AIDS through dissemination of information, education and communication (IEC) materials, video shows and street dramas.
Since 2005, ADRA Nepal has implemented similar projects funded by ECHO and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in 16 districts in the Far and Mid-Western Regions of Nepal and had served 60,733 women, men and youth. As a result 427 women have undergone third degree uterine prolapse surgery.
People seek medical help in the mobile clinics because there is no regular access to health services due to various reasons, mostly remoteness of the western districts. The government uses the health camps modality as a temporary measure.
Rupa, a young widow from Jajarkot who received surgical treatment (on 15 April 2009) said, "After the death of my husband, I was scared that I would die of this condition [uterine prolapse] and my children would be orphans. After the treatment I am healthy and can work hard and take care of my family."
ADRA Nepal is conducting the activities in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Population, Department of Health Services, Regional Health Directorates, Nepalgunj Medical College Teaching Hospital, District Health Offices and other district stakeholders and government agencies.
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ADRA is a non-governmental organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development, health and disaster relief. ADRA Nepal has steadily grown over the last 21 years and now has a diverse program in 33 districts of Nepal.
UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.
ECHO, the Humanitarian Aid department of the European Commission funds relief operations for victims of natural disasters and conflicts outside the European Union. Aid is channelled impartially, straight to victims, regardless of their race, ethnic group, religion, gender, age, nationality or political affiliation. Web site: http://ec.europa.eu/echo/
For more information, contact Ms. Chandeshwari Tamrakar, (Team Leader Health Program), ADRA Nepal at (c.tamrakar@adranepal.org and +977-1-5555913) or visit to www.adranepal.org