In disasters or natural calamities, women and children are most vulnerable segment of population and are usually confronted with multiple problems. In this regard the Family Planning Association of Pakistan (FPAP) has consulted government departments National Disaster Management Plans (NDMPS) and Provincial Disaster Management Plans (PDMPs) across the country and has notified the SOPs for emergency situation.
The speakers said Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) was developed, which encompassed basic and limited reproductive health facilities for use in emergencies. They said if the MISP was adopted as part of SOPs of NDMA during emergencies, the government machinery stood prepared, stocked and trained to immediately respond to the needs of the most vulnerable groups of the affected population -women and children. The MISP for Reproductive Health (RH) was a co-ordinated set of priority activities designed to preen and manage the consequences of sexual violence, prevent excessive neonatal and maternal morbidity and mortality, reduce HIV transmission, and plan for comprehensive RH services in the early days/weeks of an emergency, they said adding that the main goal of the MISP is to reduce mortality, morbidity and disability among populations affected by crises, particularly relating to women and girls.
The speakers said MISP includes a pre-packed set of kits containing drugs and supplies aimed at facilitating the implementation of priority RH services in the early phase of crisis. The UNFPA is in-charge of assembling and delivering the RH kits. The disaster management authority organised provincial/regional level Consultative Workshops at the capital cities of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, AJK and Gilgat Baltistan, participated by representatives of concerned PDMAs, official of health, social welfare, PWD departments and line agencies, members of CSOs and media. It also organised a national level consultative workshop at Islamabad which was overwhelmingly participated by federal and provincial governments functionaries including parliamentarians, officials of PDMAs and NDMAs, line departments and ministries, members of NGOs, CSOs and print and electronic media.
Through concentrated advocacy endeavour, we were successful in garnering requisite and mandatory commitment from respective Provincial and Federal governments for the inclusion of MISP in the SOPs of the National Disaster Management Plans (NDMPS) and Provincial Disaster Management Plans (PDMs), they maintained. Rahnuma-Family Planning Association of Pakistan (FPAP) with the support of Research and Advocacy Fund (RAF) conducted a National level Experience Sharing workshop at a local hotel.
Asghar Ali, Director General, FDMA, Shahid Malik, Director-SDMA/AJK, Zia Ahmad Khawaja, Director Admin, SDMA/AJK, Massood ur-Rehman, SDMA/AJK, Ajay Kumar. PDMA/Sindh, Muhammad Ali, PDMA/Sindh, Muhammad Haseeb Khan, FDMA, Rahat, FDMA, Faisal Naseem, PDMA/Balochistan, Farrukh Latif, PDMA/Balochistan, Zaheer-ud-Din, Babar and GB DMA attended the workshop. The event was conducted by Ms Nabila Malick, Director, Advocacy and Resource Mobilisation, FPAP, Vice President Federal Region and FPAP senior management. Amir Hameed, Regional Director, Federal Region, Gohar Zaman, Regional Director, KP, Zahid Alam Programme Manager, AJK and Muhammad Bilal, Program Manager (Federal) was also present.