UNFPA hands over emergency supplies for women and girls
– The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) today handed over emergency supplies worth USD 250,641 to the Ministry of Health to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster preparedness and ensure women and girls have access to essential health and protection services during emergencies.
The supplies, provided with the support of the Governments of Australia and New Zealand, were handed over at the Family Health Bureau in Colombo.The package includes eight high-performance tents, three of which are equipped with solar-powered lighting, to be used as emergency safe spaces for maternal and women’s care.It also includes 999 midwifery go-bags containing essential medical equipment, 1,283 maternity kits, 246 elderly kits and 1,659 dignity kits containing essential hygiene items for women and girls.The supplies will be pre-positioned in districts identified as vulnerable to disasters to ensure that essential services can be provided without delays caused by damaged roads or disrupted infrastructure.
Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said strengthening disaster preparedness was essential to ensuring that maternal and child healthcare and protection services remained available during emergencies.UNFPA Sri Lanka Representative Phuntsho Wangyel said sexual and reproductive healthcare needs did not stop during crises and that the initiative would help frontline teams provide critical services immediately when disasters occur.New Zealand High Commissioner David Pine and Australian Deputy High Commissioner Ruth Baird also stressed the importance of inclusive disaster preparedness and protecting vulnerable groups, including pregnant women, older persons and girls.
The handover was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Health, Family Health Bureau, Disaster Management Centre, UNFPA and the diplomatic missions of Australia and New Zealand.
