Family Planning Association Of India (FPAI), Kolkata Branch had held a discussion meeting on humanitarian crisis at Press Club Kolkata on 30 Oct..
The meet was hosted by Mr. Supratip Mazumdar, Branch Manager, FPAI, Kolkata. The Chief Speaker was Dr. Chinmoy Bose, former President of FPAI Kolkata.
Family Planning Association of India (FPA India) is a social impact organization delivering essential health services focusing on sexual and reproductive health in 18 states of India. Established in 1949, FPA India has seven decades of experience in the field of sexual and reproductive health. It works in close partnerships with central and state governments, NGOs and national and international funding agencies. FPA India touches over 30 million lives annually and endeavors to make a deeper impact with a wider reach. It has successfully implemented various initiatives with support from development partners and donors over the years.
In 2023, as we witness an unprecedented level of need across the world, humanitarians sometimes offer the only lifeline to those suffering. The Super Cyclonic storm Amphan was a deadly tropical cyclone which caused widespread damage in the coastal districts of West Bengal in India.
The FPA India Kolkata branch, with support from the SPRINT IV under guidance from the International Planned Parenthood Federation Humanitarian hub and FPAI headquarters, responded to Cyclone Amphan. Many health camps were organised, and hygiene kits were provided to needy women, which contained a bucket, sanitary napkins, medicine, Condoms, OCP, ECP.
A humanitarian crisis is defined as a singular event or a series of events that are threatening in terms of health, safety or well-being of a community or large group of people. It may be an internal or external conflict and usually occurs throughout a large land area. Local, national and international responses are necessary in such events. Each humanitarian crisis is caused by different factors and as a result, each different humanitarian crisis requires a unique response targeted towards the specific sectors affected. This can result in either short-term or long-term damage. Humanitarian crises can either be natural disasters, man-made disasters, or complex emergencies. In such cases, factors prevent people from accessing their fundamental health needs, including SRH . Children and women are often greatly affected by humanitarian crisis and can be impacted long after the event occurs.
Socially, women and children (mostly girls) receive a significantly decreased amount of attention in response to humanitarian crises. Disaster preparedness is critical to building both national and international capacity to prevent, respond to, and recover from humanitarian emergencies. In the cases of humanitarian crises, especially natural disasters such as tornadoes, tsunamis and earthquakes, these incidences leave environmental and ecological impacts on the regions affected. The aftermaths of natural disasters can lead to a significant decrease in natural resources while making the region prone to future issues.
The main objective of SPRINT IV project isProviding lifesaving sexual and reproductive health support in emergencies. Itwill focus on improving health outcomes of crisis affected population by reducing preventable sexual and reproductive health morbidity and mortality. Due to COVID 19 as well as super cyclone AMPHAN, West Bengal faced a crippling economic crisis which is yet another challenge to maintaining sufficient Sexual Reproductive Healthcare needs.
Apart from this it also aims to build capacity of FPAI staff to deliver essential life-saving sexual and reproductive health services in crisis and post-crisis. Support to provide advocacy to create an enabling environment by strengthening capacity of humanitarian workers. The SPRINT IV project has following objectives to strengthen the performance, quality, and sustainability of the humanitarian project:- 1. Leverage capacity of FPAI staff/ other stakeholders to understand concept of Minimum Initial Service package to deliver essential life-saving sexual and reproductive health services in crisis and post-crisis to improve health outcomes of crisis affected population by reducing preventable sexual and reproductive health morbidity and mortality.
2. Generate evidence to advocate for integrating SRH into disaster response programs.
3. To provide services with coordination with other partner NGOs.
