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UNFPA ensuring reproductive health coverage in the aftermath of Cyclone Pam
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Pacific Sub-Regional Office says it has committed up to $35 million VATU and will provide essential emergency reproductive health supplies toward the UN Cyclone Pam recovery efforts, together with the Vanuatu government
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he United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Pacific Sub-Regional Office says it has committed up to $35 million VATU and will provide essential emergency reproductive health supplies toward the UN Cyclone Pam recovery efforts, together with the Vanuatu government.
UNFPA Pacific also informed the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in a meeting of all agencies on Tuesday that UNFPA staff members would be available for deployment if the need for their field expertise was identified.
UNFPA Pacific Program analyst Gideon Mael and Family Planning & Youth Sexual Reproductive Health specialist Claire Davies are undertaking assessments on the ground, participating in discussions on inter-agency responses and working with the Health Ministry.
"The Vila Central Hospital requires urgent repairs and may require longer-term reconstruction," said Mael in a release on Tuesday.
"Monday [March 16] has been a day of preparations for our support to a government-led response and today has been more about action in ascertaining information with no power in most parts and serious damage to communication infrastructure."
The Vanuatu Humanitarian Team has confirmed 3,300 evacuees to date, 37 evacuation centers have been opened in Efate, the island on which the capital Port Vila is located. UNFPA Pacific has pre-positioned dignity kits, radios and flashlights.
UNFPA reproductive health in emergencies kits include kits for medical response to sexual violence, clinical delivery assistance, management of miscarriage and suture of tears (cervical and vaginal) and vaginal examination.
"Our response is based on analysis and information to ensure our contribution is targeted and therefore will benefit Ni-Vanuatu women and families," said UNFPA Pacific Sub-Regional Office representative and director Laurent Zessler.
Based on findings of the 2013 Demographic Health Survey, UNFPA Pacific estimates that 6,700 out of about 56,000 women of reproductive age are pregnant. It is estimated that 100 women may experience pregnancy related complications in the next month or 900 women in the next nine months.
Findings from the violence against women prevalence study in 2012 conducted in Vanuatu reported 60 percent intimate partner violence and 48 percent non-partner violence. Gender-based violence can be exacerbated in evacuation centers and in host-family accommodations. (ebf)(+++)
