The Myanmar country team continues to update the SPRINT Secretariat on their SRH interventions to the areas affected by cyclone Nargis. The cyclone had struck Myanmar on 2 May destroying everything in its path. Millions of people were and still are affected.
The team had participated in the SPRINT Training of Trainers on the MISP for Sexual and Reproductive Health in Crises that was held in Kuala Lumpur early May 2007. Since their return home, they been diligently working to ensure that SRH issues – based on the MISP - receive due attention and are addressed by organizations, agencies and governments. The country team has also been working in close collaboration with theses initiates to ensure a coordinated response to the relief efforts, especially on SRH.
The SPRINT ToT had helped them identify the most immediate SRH needs and related priority areas
based on the MISP. By implementing the MISP they were able to ensure an effective and timely response to life-saving SRH needs that usually ensue in an emergency.
As one Myanmar country team member stated on 2nd September: “Now, I feel a little comfortable as we can overcome several constraints and do some interventions for the affected people, after receiving the MISP training from you at the right time.”
On 2nd September 2008, the Myanmar country team provided the following update:
“UNFPA is co-chairing SRH/HIV Technical Working Group and Women Protection TWG. We organized
regular meetings with the partners.
UNFPA recruited 2 MISP trainers... We have conducted several orientation sessions on MISP and 2 ToTs so far for 53 participants from 18 organizations. 15 multiplier trainings have been done for general practitioners along with RH services training in 15 cyclone-affected townships (target 30 townships) in collaboration with Myanmar Medical Association (MMA). MMA is also implementing a cyclone-response project which provides mobile and fixed clinical services and operates maternity waiting homes.
A training session for basic health staff has been organized in one township in collaboration with MoH. It has planned for 13 more township trainings for BHS during this month. Those 14 townships have received emergency RH kits from UNFPA.
In addition, more training sessions will be organized in collaboration with some NGO/INGOs including
Myanmar Anti-Narcotic Association in 6 townships, AFXB, MSF (Holland), MDM etc. Some organizations are also advocating and multiplying MISP in their own organizations. One training was planned for UNHCR’s partners in Northern Rakhine State (NRS) in October.
UNFPA have distributed 50,113 dignity kits (sarong, panty, blouse, sanitary napkins, soap, etc…. and about 30,000 CDKs to many villages through 191 different groups. UNICEF also provides CDKs through MoH. UNFPA provides contraceptives and CDKs to some NGO/INGOs for cyclone response.
Regarding the protection issue, UNFPA starts GBV workshops and plan to establish women friendly
spaces.”
SPRINT Secretariat
4 September 2008
For further queries on the SPRINT Initiative, please contact Carol El Sayed or Dr. Nguyen-Toan Tran
at ippfklro@ippfeseaor.org or +6034256 6122