Training for staff on sexual health during crisis

HEALTH officials last week attended a week-long training on the sexual and reproductive health of people displaced during a crisis or natural disaster.
The training was organised by the Family Health Association. Director Michael Salini told the participants to help people in need because disasters meant more than just providing food, water and shelter.
“Disaster is a crucial time in a person’s life and they need people like us to maintain their dignity and human rights,” Salini said.
Salini said the minimum initial service package training would be implemented into the disaster plans of each province with the help of the Health department.
United Nations Population Fund representative Walter Mendonca-filho said the skills and knowledge acquired were valuable and must be used in the response to people’s need during an emergency.
Topics covered during the training were sexual reproductive health and the coordination mechanism during a crisis, sexual violence and gender-based violence during a crisis, HIV and sexually-transmitted infections and maternal health during a crisis.
Divine Word University rural health head of department Dr Betty Koka said the training was first conducted in 2010 followed by four regional sessions.