UNFPA: ADDRESSING THE CORE ISSUE OF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
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Right to enjoy reproductive health is a Universal Right and key to laying the foundations towards healthier future generations.
In its effort to promote and protect this right, UNFPA plays a critical role by extending its support and assistance to Governments, NGOs, and Partners around the world, helping them to achieve the vision laid down in ICPD PoA and MDG.
UNFPA aims to enhance the quality RH services and to make these services increasingly and equally accessible for the population of Georgia through undertaking number of interventions and projects.
Supporting improved Reproductive Health Policies, Standards and Systems
In partnership with MoLHSA
Implementation period 2006-2010
Goal: To further improve and enhance the quality and accessibility of RH services provided, towards a more patient oriented approach within the population including the youth.
Activities and achievements:
Strengthening policy and regulatory framework for reproductive health care and reproductive rights
UNFPA is recognized as one of the main partners of MoLHSA in developing and updating RH service guidelines and protocols in the country, which is both a breakthrough and crucial in raising the standards of RH services provided in the country to the International agreed level.
With the support of UNFPA, MoLHSA in partnership with National Professional Associations in 2006-08 developed clinical guidelines and protocols related to the RH services, including Emergency Obstetric Care and breast cancer screening and diagnosis; UNFPA supports the government to operationalize these guidelines and protocols through rollout trainings to RH service providers on the above guidelines and protocols in the capital and regions of Georgia
Strengthening Policy Dialogue and coordination:
UNFPA supports better coordination through the RH National Council set up in 2006 at MoHLSA by the First Lady of Georgia and UNFPA; the Council acts as a consultative body to the Minister to address the needs in the area of RH and strengthen the coordination between the Ministry, donors and implementing partners.
RH Commodity Security:
UNFPA established a RHCS unit in the MoHLSA for the proper maintenance of RH commodity supply and introduced the special CHANNEL software for commodity management to UNFPA and USAID partners, along with developing a long term RHCS strategy for Georgia.
UNFPA will further support the implementation of RH costing module as a tool for estimating RH related costs in accordance with the national targets and indicators.
This exercise is carried out to promote advocacy and policy dialogue for increased allocations to RH.
Improving standards for Emergency Obstetric Care:
In its effort to improve the standards and systems of EmOC, UNFPA with the co-funding from the government will procure two emergency ambulances for its use within the framework of National Referral System.
Comprehensive RH Information and Services:
Advocacy and Promotion of RH/RR in partnership with Zhordania Institute of Human Reproduction
Implementation period: 2006-2010
Goal: To further improve the quality and accessibility of RH services, including Family Planning
Activities and achievements:
In Partnership with the First Lady of Georgia and the involvement of MoLHSA, UNFPA has organized several meetings with women in every region of the country to raise awareness in RH/RR issues.
These meetings apart from identifying the various concerns and needs in the area of RH/RR, also resulted in more than 800 women in different regions of the country acting as torch bearers, propagating and distributing information and IEC materials at the grassroots level of the society.
These activities lead to the initiation by the First Lady and the UNFPA in the formation of a National Reproductive Health Council to strengthen the coordination, and address the gaps and priority needs in the area of RH.
National capacity building for quality RH Services:
Further strengthen and capacitate the RH service providers through comprehensive training programmes at ZIHR Training Centre, the curricula of which are accredited by the State.
Special emphasis is made on supporting the state effort in Primary Health Care reform process: the project contributed to further capacity building of Family Doctors - more than 95 practicing FDs in several pilot regions have been trained on RH care.
Promote and expand the outreach and scope of the RH Mobile Teams:
The RH mobile outreach service consisting of four mobile teams was initiated by UNFPA in 2000 to cover all 64 municipalities in every region of Georgia, working from its bases in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi and Rustavi.
It provides an equivalent of 240 days a year of mobile medical service through highly trained professionals and adequately equipped units having the latest medical equipments to deal with RH issues including ultrasound scanning, STI testing and early detection of reproductive system cancers, each unit comprises of four qualified duty members.
Apart from providing medical services the units also play the role of propagation by disseminating promotional materials within the population and in-service/on-site medical training to local RH service providers.
From its inception in 2000 the MTs have provided free RH services to more than
78,000 patients and saved more than 100 lives.
This activity has been very much appreciated by the Government and the population as a very crucial in providing quality RH services especially in the remote areas.
UNFPA was one of the first International organization to pioneer the free distribution of contraceptives in 1993, ever since then it has been continuing this activity through its MTs, RH service delivery points and partner NGOs, apart from free distribution of contraceptives it also supplies medical equipments and amenities to maternity hospitals and RH service delivery points.
Different mediums have been used to educate the general public on the subject of RH, including TV and radio programmes and printed educational materials.
More than 200 articles have been published in popular news prints and magazines focusing on RH issues, promoting healthier reproductive and sexual health.
Early Detection, Treatment and Prevention of Reproductive System Oncological Diseases
In partnership with Tbilisi Cancer Centre (TCC) and National Screening Centre (NSC), and co-funded by Tbilisi Municipality
Implementation period: 2006-2008 with possible extension.
Goal: To strengthen national capacity for the reduction of morbidity and early mortality caused by cancer diseases of the reproductive system.
Activities and achievements:
Free screening and diagnostics of oncological diseases provided to more than 10,000 people, which included consultations, investigational and laboratory screening, as well as diagnosis in 2006-2007, of which more than 70% were related to reproductive system cancer prevention and early detection.
Based on the analyses of the data and accumulated experience, at the beginning of 2008, the project has been redesigned to focus on breast and cervical cancers screening for the targeted population in Tbilisi. This innovative project is one of the first of its kind among the countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia that aims to increase the detection of reproductive system cancers at early stages, in order to reduce the morbidity and early mortality of women caused by these diseases. With the support of the Government of Georgia, the National Screening Centre has been equipped with the most advanced equipment for breast and cervical cancers screening; during 2008, screening services have been provided to almost 20% of the target age population of women residing in Tbilisi.
National capacity building for reproductive tract cancers detection and early diagnosis has been one of the priorities for UNFPA: during 2006-2008, a series of trainings and seminars have been provided on cervical cancer prevention methodology – PAP test, and on Cytopathology, Histopathology and Molecular Biology in the diagnosis of Cervix and Breast Diseases was conducted by the leading experts in the field from the Vrjie University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands). As an outcome, a cadre of local professionals has been created who are deployed in various medical institutions across the country.
In 2007, the International Conference on Health Advocacy and Cancer Control was organized, and attended by more than 70 local participants and International experts from ACS and Emory University USA. The conference adopted several key recommendations related to strengthening cancer prevention and control measures in Georgia.
In the area of Population IEC and promotion of healthy life style, around 40,000 promotional printed materials have already been distributed; TV and radio programmes are being aired, targeted at building awareness of cancer prevention among the population.
On January 21, 2009 the National Screening Center was awarded with “Pearl of Wisdom” Award on a Cervical Cancer Prevention Summit Meeting in Brussels, Belgium for the Screening Program, supported by Tbilisi Municipality Social Services and Cultural Affairs Department and UNFPA Georgia, under the auspices of the First Lady of Georgia, Ms. Sandra Elizabeth Roelofs.
Summit of Politicians for Cervical Cancer Prevention was held at the European Parliament within the framework of the European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week 2009 (18-24 January 2009) organized by European Cervical Cancer Association and Politicians for Cancer Prevention.
Support for improved quality of RH services in Abkhazia, Georgia
In partnership with NGO Union Tanadgoma
Implementation period 2006-2007
Goal: Capacity building of RH service providers leading to better quality RH services
Activities and achievements:
UNFPA has been implementing small scale projects in Abkhazia, Georgia since 2005 in close consultation with the Georgian-Abkhazian Coordination Council.
During 2005-2006, UNFPA carried out several activities in building awareness within its population by distributing several types of informational-educational booklets translated into local Abkhaz and Russian languages on RH and prevention of HIV/AIDS.
UNFPA developed hand-book “Reproductive Health” was translated into Russian language and distributed amongst RH service providers, additionally RH service points in all regions of Abkhazia, Georgia were provided with RH medical equipments, contraceptives and medical supplies.
UNFPA supported RH survey in Abkhazia according to the CDC (Centres of Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, USA) methodology.
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