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THE GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN CONTINUE SUPPORTING UKRAINE IN IMPROVING OF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES

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4 maternity clinics in Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia oblasts renovated and capacitated to provide essential medicines and services  for maternal heath 

The Woman Health & Family Planning Foundation / WHFP, which is IPPF’s Member Association in Ukraine, continues to work towards improving access to quality reproductive health services for the population of Ukraine with support of the Japanese Government.

WHFP launches a new project aimed at restoring access to lifesaving reproductive health services for populations affected by the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam and the ongoing full-scale war in Ukraine. The project will be implemented in Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia regions by December 2024 and will be focused on

  • strengthening the capacity of health facilities and health providers on comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn care services;
  • increasing availability of first-line support and referral services for survivors of sexual and gender based violence;
  • increase awareness and demand among women and youth on sexual and reproductive health services through online and in-person information sharing.

The four pilot health facilities are already selected. The hospitals in Dnipropetrovsk region are the Kryvyi Rih Perinatal Center with Inpatient Unit, the Kryvyi Rih City Maternity Hospital and Pavlograd city maternity hospital, while in Zaporizhzhia we will work in the City Maternity Hospital #4. Considering the difficulties which these regions experience due to the war, there are many urgent needs and challenges to be solved. Unfortunately, the sexual and reproductive health is not under the proper focus, although is in demand.

The issue of gender-based violence has come to the fore (especially due to military crimes committed by Russian soldiers), and the gender inequality has increased. Women and young people are extremely vulnerable and need protection and support on all levels, including the availability of professional medical assistance, psychological, social and juridical support. Thus, the project will invest in the reproductive health services strengthening and availability as well as on raisin the population’s awareness about this.

“During this project we pay special attention to the regions that suffered from the accident at the Kakhovka Dam. One of our main tasks is enhancing the availability of qualitative reproductive health services, including services for people who survived gender based violence. Due to the support of the Government of Japan and our partners from the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), we see many prospects to improve the health of Ukrainians” – stated Galyna Maistruk, an executive director of WHFP.

As part of the project, WHFP will

  • invest into restoring the maternity and delivery rooms and ensure that the essential medicine for maternal health is available for all in need;
  • support 120 providers in given emergency obstetric and newborn care, and modern methods of contraception, providing the first-line support for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence;
  • develop and share information materials to raise awareness of women, girls and youth about the availability of services of sexual and reproductive health and sexual and gender-based violence.
  • use digital tools and channels to share important information among women, men and young people.

This is the second project in the sector of reproductive health, which is funded by the Government of Japan and supported by IPPF in Ukraine. The first project – “Mitigation of the Consequences of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and Facilitating Access to Essential Services and CSE for Conflict-Affected People in Ukraine” was implemented during January 1, 2023 – April 30, 2024 in Poltava and Odesa regions. Due to its interventions, 6 hospitals in Poltava and Odesa regions were provided with necessary medicines and supplies, as well as information materials, over 100 medical doctors, nurses and midwives were trained on the clinical management of sexual assault and 50 educators got ToT on comprehensive sexual education. Almost 37,500 people got reproductive health services (incl. gender-based violence services) in pilot hospitals, 3 500 adolescents and young people were trained on reproductive and sexual health topics and intersectional collaboration in the field of reproductive health was strengthened in Poltava and Odesa regions.