HEALTH FOR ALL
Pakistan is confronting numerous health challenges resulting from an inadequate healthcare system. Thatta resulting from an inadequate healthcare system. Thatta district is no exception, having experienced various climate incidents such as cyclones, floods, and sea intrusion, adversely impacting agriculture, health, natural vegetation, and more. The threat of climate change adds another layer of crisis for the local population. The population living at coastal belt is experiencing worst climate situation keeping them at high risk of displacement and loosing during livelihood. Devastating flood in August 2022 has swept away several number of houses, herds of scale, infrastructure submerging the settlements for more months. The districts is being impacted by the multifarious infrastructure submerging the settlements for more months. The districts is being impacted by the multifarious forms of disasters including floods, see intrusion, cyclones. The district is already has poor indictors of health status, while the climate crisis add more vulnerability to the people. As a result, the health status of the people deteriorated As a result, the health status of the people deteriorated with the deprivation of food, clean water, and basic health services. The health status of the people was already poor which worsen the condition. Lack of health facilities and health service delivery and lack of health facilities and health service delivery and lack of health seeking behavioral among the communities regarding antenatal care, reproductive health services and social and gender related taboos and lack of community sensitization towards the health seeking behaviors are the major factors for the poor status of health of women and girls living in low resource settings district. This is also coupled with the impact of climate change. In any crisis, women and girls and children are the hardest hit and so is the case in the climate crisis. This has widen up the existing gender inequalities and poses unique threats to their livelihoods, health, and safety. According to report of United Nation environment Protecon agency, pregnant livelihoods, health, and safety.
Reproductive Health Mobile Camps
The women and girls suffered a lot from the floods living in camps and returning to the home when water receded. They were experiencing lack of there access to the reproductive health services and support during displacement. SCF provided medical and RH assistance to the 1220 women and girls in 5 flood affected districts of Sindh.
HIV and Health Awareness Among the Young People
According to UNAIDS in Pakistan in 2021, 210 000 people were living with HIV and HIV prevalence of people living with HIV among adults (15-49 years) was 0.2%. It also showed that only 23% of them know their HIV status and only 14% are enrolled in ART centres. The national programmatic data 2020 shows that 34 % of the sex workers are unaware on HIV testing and HIV status awareness whereas enrollment in ART service is only 6% and in 2021 it showed that HIV testing and HIV status awareness among people living with drugs, transgender is 40%, respectively and the enrolment in ART service is only 10.6 and 8.1 respectively. This shows that testing needs to be expanded through awareness campaign to break the existing stigma in the community and to encourage the people to receive services from ART centres. Hyderabad and Larkana are 2 hot spots of the HIV positive cases in Sindh. According to a report in 2019, around 1,100 residents of Ratodero taluka in Larkana district had tested positive for HIV out of whom at least 900 were children. MTCT was one of the major routs of transmission. Almost two years later, by June 2021, the number of infected patients swelled to 1,500, according to the Sindh health department’s figures. Repeated usage of syringe was the common transmission rout in Hyderabad. SCF conducted 10 sessions with young people in Hyderabad and Larkana district which reached 200 people information on HIV. SCF conducted 10 sessions with young people in Hyderabad and Larkana district which reached 200 people.
Youth led mental health awareness campaign
Pakistan has a growing mental health crisis with an estimated 50 million people experiencing mental health issues but unable to access support due to stigma, awareness and lack of services. Despite global recognition of the significance of adolescents’ mental health it remains a neglected area in research and health policy in Pakistan. SCF is very much committed to address the mental health issues targeting adolescent and young people. SCF is member of Global Mental Health Action Network and is SCF has trained a cohort of 30 young people on mental health and impact of environmental degradation on mental health. In this regards young people led a campaign and reached 800 young people on then various concepts of mental health and stigmatization related to mental health care seeking behavior. SCF has circulated the posters and pamphlets among the young students and communities and created an online peer support group in Sindh.
Advancing the Leadership of Women and Girls towards Beer Health and Climate Change Resilience – SURMI project in district Thatta
SCF has partnered with Pathfinder International SCF has partnered with Pathfinder International to implement Advancing the Leadership of Women and Girls towards Beer Health and Climate Change Resilience – SURMI project in district Thatta. The project is aimed to address the issues of women and girl’s health, including RH morbidity, maternal and child health care developing 120 local community based volunteer cadres of youth and women as champions.
The volunteer cadres of youth and women as champions. The cadres will be trained on their role. They will be conducting community level awareness campaign regarding climate change and women and girls health intersection among communities on new/improved and integrated health care, new born, infant, and child health care, and reproductive health care in low resource setting and reach 58972 communities district Thaa. These trained local champions communities district Thatta. These trained local champions will be promoting the knowledge and sensitization on gender equality and reach at 4500 male female community elders. A total of 875 male female communities and young people will be trained in preparedness for emergency shocks. The local communities will be developed who will be involve in developing local DRR plan and address the health problems in an efficient manner. With this project, SCF will create a local support mechanism to increase the access of young girls and women by integrating gender, health and climate in planning at municipal and district level. A multi-stakeholders forum on RH and Climate change will be established at district level engaging 40 (10 multi-stakeholders forum on RH and Climate change will be established at district level engaging 40 (10 community based organizations and groups, 30 local representatives engaged in networking. A total of 33627 project beneficiaries is anticipated to receive the integrated and specific health care services such as maternal and child health care, NCDs and NTDs, RHR, and other various infectious diseases. Similarly, a total of 44400 married infectious diseases. Similarly, a total of 44400 married women of reproductive age will benefit from enhanced health care services and will also gain knowledge and skills on personal health care.
