ReliefWeb

April 28, 2015: New Delhi: The SPRINT Initiative, through the International Planned Parenthood Federation-South Asia Region (IPPF SAR), is providing medical and sexual and reproductive health services in Nepal in the wake of the devastating earthquake.

At least 3,500 people are feared dead after an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale hit Nepal on Saturday morning. The earthquake with its epicentre in Lamjung District (north-west) of Kathmandu has turned the country into rubble with even historical sites being destroyed. As per initial reports, apart from Kathmandu; Lamjung,Pokhara, Gorkha and parts of Northern India have also been affected.

More than a third of maternal deaths worldwide occur in crisis settings. In crisis situations, there is a lack of access to basic emergency-obstetric services and only a small proportion of deliveries are attended by skilled service providers, leading to preventable maternal and newborn morbidity. Sexual and Gender based violence can increase during crisis, as does the transmission of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), including HIV. In crisis the vulnerability of populations to these serious Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) related problems increase drastically. Unfortunately many health facilities in Nepal are now inoperable due to the quake, thereby increasing a desperate need for SRH and medical services.

This response is funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of the Australian Government and IPPF-SAR. Family Planning Association of Nepal (FPAN,)which is an IPPF Member Association, will work together with SPRINT and various stakeholders to set up clinics in the affected areas. These clinics will offer health check-ups, safe delivery and care for newborns, post-natal care to pregnant and lactating women, as well as providefamily planning and reproductive health care to women and men. FPAN will also provide referral services. Together with FPAN, SPRINT will reach out to approximately18,000 beneficiaries with these critical medical and SRH services. An amount of USD 100,000 (USD 50,000 each from DFAT and IPPF-SAR) has been mobilised to provide these lifesaving services to the earthquake affected people of Nepal.

“FPAN has 11,000 volunteers and 480 staff members across the districts that have been mobilised for the response. FPAN is a close partner of the Nepal Government and is a member of the Reproductive Health Coordination Committee of the Department of Health Services and sub-committees chaired by the Family Health Division. Therefore, all work is happening in tandem with the Government of Nepal’s response efforts. Through this response, IPPF aims to address the gap in SRH services in crisis settings,” said Anjali Sen, Regional Director, IPPF-SARO.

“SPRINT’s life-saving SRH services will also include the provision of emergency obstetric and newborn care services and referrals, reproductive health medical mission in camps, delivery of dignity kits, family planning services, community awareness and the provision of syndromic treatment for sexually transmitted infections,” said Paul Gimson, Director, The SPRINT Initiative.

SPRINT is implementing the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for reproductive health in Nepal, to minimise negative health outcomes and delivering on IPPF’s mandate to reach out to and provide SRH services to the most vulnerable, neglected and hard to reach communities worldwide.

Media Contact: Debanjana Choudhuri: dchoudhuri@ippfsar.org www.ippf-sprint.org

@2014Sprint IPPFGlobal-SPRINT

The SPRINT Initiative is a Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) PRogramme IN crisis and post-crisis siTuations. SPRINT ensures access to essential lifesaving SRH services for women, men and children in times of crises, a time when services are most needed yet are not prioritised or recognised by key humanitarian responders.

The SPRINT Initiative saves lives and delivers on the Australian Government aid (DFAT: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) which aims to provide more effective preparedness for and response to disasters and crises.

The Initiative is managed by the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and represents its commitment to increasing access to SRH services for crisis-affected populations.TheInternational Planned Parenthood Federationis a global service provider and a leading advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all. It is a worldwide movement of national organisations working with and for communities and individuals.

Debanjana Choudhuri
Manager-Communications-SPRINT| IPPF
The SPRINT Initiative
(Sexual and reproductive health PRogramme IN crisis and post-crisis siTuations)
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