Press Release
European Commission to Support UNFPA Reproductive Health Camps in Nepal Conflict Zones
08 August 2006
KATHMANDU, Nepal — Nepalis deprived of lifesaving reproductive health care during the country’s decade-long civil conflict will soon have access to treatment in special camps organized by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, with support from the European Commission.
Mobile services will be organized over the next year to reach some 15,000 women, men and adolescents in camps in six hill and mountain districts of Nepal’s far-western and mid-western regions.
Over 80 per cent of the country’s population lives in rural areas, where geographical, economic and cultural barriers limit basic medical care. The recently suspended armed conflict exacerbated the lack of health workers, facilities and supplies. This increased the burden of the most common diseases. Maternal illnesses, which are estimated to afflict 100,000 women per year, remain mostly unattended.
“This project is essential to provide preventive and corrective measures for reproductive health concerns, which cause much death and suffering and severely limit livelihoods,” stressed Junko Sazaki, UNFPA’s Representative to Nepal.
Mobile medical teams will set up temporary facilities offering family planning; emergency obstetric care; and diagnosis, counselling and treatment of potentially life-threatening concerns such as sexually transmitted infections, HIV/AIDS and consequences of gender-based violence. The camps will also provide vital surgical procedures, such as prolapsed uterus correction. Cases requiring further care will be referred to the National Health System.
To ensure that affected communities have access to such services in the future, local providers will be trained in delivering reproductive health care in crisis settings.
The grant by the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO) acknowledges UNFPA’s expertise in supporting reproductive health care in crisis situations and channelling assistance impartially to affected populations, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, age, nationality or political affiliation.
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The United Nations Population Fund is an international development agency that promotes the rights of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.
Contact Information:
Stephanie Vidal
Tel.: +977-1- 55-23-637
Fax: +977-1-55-23-985
Email: vidal@unfpa.org
David del Vecchio
Tel.: +1 (212) 297-4975
Email: delvecchio@unfpa.org
Omar Gharzeddine
Tel.: +1 (212) 297-5028
Email: gharzeddine@unfpa.org
