RECOVERY: UNFPA DONATES
$230,000 worth of supplies
The United Nations Population Fund ( UNFPA) handed over inter-agency reproductive health supplies worth $ 230,000 to the Ministry of Health. Minister for Health and Medical Servicers Jone Usamate said that the assistance would strengthen the ministry’s response. “We also note that there have been reports of sexual assaults as well as sexual harassment already taking place in affected areas,” Mr Usamate said. “We are happy that one of the reproductive health kits include post rape kit for clinical management of sexual assault. “We recognise the importance of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health to the resilience of the population that is facing impacts of natural disasters.” The kits include emergency clean delivery kits which are sanitized delivery packs for clean and safe deliveries in emergency situations that prevent regular autoclaving of medical equipment. UNFPA Pacific Sub-Regional Office Director and Representative, Dr Laurent Zessler said that the UNFPA wanted to ensure life-saving reproductive health information and services were available for young people and women. “These interagency reproductive health kits are global standard kits used in responding to all types of emergencies worldwide, the kits include both equipment and medical supplies,” Dr Zessler said. The reproductive health kits will cover the needs of more than 450,000 affected population for a period of three months.