National disaster health approach introduced to MHMS

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

Participants from SIPPA, MHMS, International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), Live and Learn and Honiara City Council health officer at the recent advocacy meeting on the National Disaster Health response approach held at the Honiara.

SOLOMON Islands Planned Parenthood Association (SIPPA) has introduced a National Disaster Health response approach to the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) public health emergency and surveillance unit officers.

This newly introduced approach is called minimum initial service package (MISP) for reproductive health in the event of disaster with a goal to decrease mortality and illness in crisis-affected populations.

Addressing the meeting Mr Ben Angoa from the Solomon Islands Planned Parenthood said the approach is essential for every body’s health in the event of disaster because sexual reproductive health’s is an important component to be considered.

He said it is because of this significance’s SIPPA decided to introduce this approach to the MHMS.

“MISP is a serious of crucial actions required to respond to reproductive health needs at the onset of every event of disasters. The MISP is a set of activities that must be implemented in a coordinated manner by appropriately trained staffs.

“This set of activities forms that starting point for ensuring quality reproductive health in even the worst scenarios,” said Angoa

He said the five objectives of the MISP including to ensure health sector identifies agency to lead implementation of MISP, prevent sexual violence and assist survivors, reduce transmission of HIV, prevent excess maternal and newborn illness and mortality and plan for comprehensive reproductive health service integrated into primary health care.

Alison Ripiapu manager for public health emergency and surveillance Unit of the MHMS said this is a first advocacy workshop they had with SIPPA and it did portraits collaboration to integrate and to look at the arrangements of the national emergency responses.

She said most times SIPPA and other non-governmental organisations work own their own during responses and doesn’t come out to integrate and collaborate with the government system.

“However, I thanked SIPPA for introducing this approach; it has in line with the MHMS key main areas strategic plan 2016 – 2020 which including building strong partnership in terms of a response with stakeholders and non-governmental organisations.

“It will also improve the response services the MHMS have in place,” said Ripiapu.

SIPPA introduced this approach to the MHMS during their first advocacy meeting held at Honiara Hotel over the weekend.

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