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Reproductive Health, Disasters and Displacement: Never the Priority
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2006 |
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| Introduction: Responses to the Indian Ocean Tsunami and Himalayan earthquake have highlighted limitations of humanitarian relief operations and difficulties in providing care to many displaced, mobile populations. Reproductive health is consistently given low priority in disaster responses, particularly in the context of pregnancy, gynaecological care, family planning, STIs including HIV/AIDS and access to care and services. Though the response to the Himalayan earthquake is still in its emergency phase, post-Tsunami operations have transited into recovery and rehabilitation efforts and it is now possible to begin evaluating what extent the disaster and associated relief efforts have impacted on some of these areas. Purpose: (i) To discuss pregnant women and others of reproductive age in the aftermath of Tsunami. (ii) To request that governments and international agencies increase the priority of reproductive health care and family planning services in future disaster relief efforts. Results: An estimated 40,000 of the 150,000 pregnant women in the Tsunami affected region survived the disaster, and have since been living in displaced persons camps, makeshift shelters or with host families and relatives. By fall 2005 all pregnancies would have had an outcome, both for the mother and for the infant. Though public information on many of these outcomes remain scarce, important questions can be raised considering the tremendous psychosocial and physical burdens on mothers resulting from forced displacement, as well as from the losses of reproductive health workers and health risks associated with living in overcrowded conditions with poor sanitation infrastructure and low privacy. For non-pregnant women of reproductive age, persistent overcrowded conditions following Tsunami have elevated tensions among displaced populations, uplifting the risk of gender violence and uncharacteristic sexual practices. Conclusion: Sufficient protection services, family planning and contraceptive provision, while all late in arrival, should be viewed as priority services regardless if they are requested. |
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Primary Investigator
Bryan Arthur Amichand Heal
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P.I. Institution Name
International Centre for Migration and Health
Title
Research and Technical Associate
Contact Address
World Health Organization (WHO)
11 Route du Nant d'Avril
CH-1214 Vernier
Geneva, GE, 1214
Switzerland
Contact E-mail
bheal@icmh.ch
Contact Telephone
41-22-783-1080
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Secondary Investigators
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