Group conducts village SRH clinics
THE Reproductive Family Health Association of Fiji (RFHAF) visited 67 villages on Kadavu in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Harold and delivered sexual reproductive health (SRH) clinical services to 1969 people.
The clinical services and awareness sessions were delivered in partnership with the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) Humanitarian Pacific Hub team and with funding support from the Australian government.
In response to community demand, a large number of non-SRH services were also delivered by district nurses, when they were in attendance, with support from RFHAF.
RFHAF said of the 1969 people who received SRH clinical services, 1406 (71 per cent) were women and girls and 585 (29 per cent) were men and boys.
In the aftermath of TC Winston in 2016, the RFHAF team, in partnership with the Health Ministry and other key partners, mobilised and delivered more than 1533 reproductive health services through 37 field missions in severely affected communities in the Western Division.
The RFHAF held a workshop this week in Pacific Harbour to support policy advocacy work towards integrating essential SRH services, such as minimal initial service package (MISP), into Fiji’s humanitarian responses.
MISP is a global set of priority activities created and designed to prevent the excess of morbidity and mortality, particularly among women and girls, at the onset of humanitarian emergencies.
“It is very timely that we are holding this policy advocacy workshop today (Tuesday) being the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction that promotes a global culture of disaster risk reduction,” said RFHAF executive director Matelita SevaCadravula.
“The participation of key stakeholders and partners from our Government underscores its commitment and the importance it places on integrating SRH in humanitarian settings.”
RFHAF stated it aimed to reach the most poor, marginalised, socially excluded and under-served populations and empower them to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health.
RFHAF also stated it operated static clinic in Suva which provided sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services, including family planning, STI (sexually transmitted infections) and HIV services, prenatal care, counselling and gynaecological services.