Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategies and Policies
Reported, January 12, 2012
In 2011 UNFPA plans to introduce programme of procurement of secure and quality reproductive health commodities (RHSCM)1 for Bosnia and Herzegovina and training for health managers on condom programming. UNFPA will support the Government in ensuring a sustainable supply of reproductive health commodities, and the development of the Logistics Management Information System (LMIS) with aim to secure country ownership of reproductive health commodities plan.
Together with relevant health institutions, UNFPA is working on improvement of counselling services for before and after and early, voluntary induced abortion of pregnancy with and emphasis placed on contraception counselling. Development of protocol for data collection related to sexual and reproductive health and gender based violence in BiH.
1. Reproductive Health Commodity Security (RHCS) is defined as the ownership over a secure supply and choice of quality contraceptives and other essential reproductive health commodities to meet every person’s needs for high quality commodities at the right time and in the right place. RHCS is achieved when all individuals may choose, procure and use accessible, affordable and quality reproductive health commodities whenever they need them
Cervical Cancer Prevention
In accordance with the cancer prevention programme development which is planned through UNFPA BiH Country Programme Action Plan 2010-2014 and Annual Work Plan 2011. UNFPA office has already started with activities on raising awareness about HPV and cervical cancer among wider public through a public campaign My Life is My Song. According to the Ministries of health, cervical cancer is the second malignant disease and one of the highest causes of mortality among women in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The highest problem is a lack of regular gynaecological check ups, lack of PAP tests and HPV tests, as well as the lack of capacity for accurate tests on PAP tests and HPV tests. Additionally, funding and strategic frameworks are lacking to ensure HPV vaccination and the other prevention measures. According to World Health Organization, cervical cancer incidence rate in Bosnia and Herzegovina is 13.2. Cumulative risk rate of cervical cancer in Bosnia and Herzegovina is 0.9. Annual number of deaths among women in Bosnia and Herzegovina caused by cervical cancer is 119 cases, which is extremely high, considering a total number of BiH population estimated at 3,5 3,8 million, depending on sources (no census). Women make up approximately 50% of total population.
This years activities on prevention of cervical cancer are continuing through close cooperation with health ministries in order to implement a situation analysis concerning cervical cancer situation in the Republika Srpska, the Federation of BiH and Brcko District. Situation analysis will help in development of quality oriented programme for prevention of cervical cancer in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Through these activities UNFPA will continue to provide support for provision of continues education of health professionals and provision of updated information regarding cervical cancer prevention, diagnosis and curing.
Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS)
UNFPA is continuing joint activities with UNICEF, UNHCR, the Agency for Statistics of BiH, the Republika Srpska Institute of Statistics and the BiH Federation Office of Statistics in implementation of 2011 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS). The Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) is an international household survey programme developed by UNICEF. MICS is designed to collect statistically sound, internationally comparable estimates of key indicators that are used to assess the situation of children and women (in the fourth survey round this has been expanded to include men), in the areas of health, education, child protection and HIV/AIDS. MICS also provides a tool to monitor progress towards country goals and commitments aimed at promoting the welfare of children, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In addition to conducting a MICS for the mainstream population, the overall MICS4 Project in BiH will include a survey of the Roma population in BiH.
The primary objectives of MICS4 for the Roma population are:
· To provide data for monitoring the strategies and action plans related to the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015;
· To provide data for designing future programme interventions;
· To furnish data needed for monitoring progress toward MDGs established by the Millennium Declaration and WFFC targets;
· To provide up-to-date information for assessing the situation of Roma children, women and young men;
· To contribute to the improvement of data collection and monitoring systems focused on the Roma population and to strengthen existing technical expertise in the design, implementation, and analysis of such systems, through training as well as direct implementation experience.
Improvement of Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
Youth is one the main focuses of UNFPA and activities related to youth are focusing on improvement of sexual and reproductive health of youth and adolescents in Bosnia and Herzegovina through support of network of peer educators, Y-Peer Bosnia and Herzegovina. Y-Peer is innovating and comprehensive approach to education of young people by young people (peer to peer). Y-Peer is global network and UNFPA in BiH is supporting activities of the network from year 2003 and it supported development of Y-Peer Network in BiH and establishment of youth friendly health services. Y-Peer Network BiH operates through 3 Info Centers (Banja Luka, Bihac and Mostar) with very successful results in delivery of quality oriented information regarding HIV and AIDS and sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people and adolescents in Bosnia and Herzegovina. During 2009 and 2010 Y-Peer educators have reached more than 15 000 young people with quality information on the sexual and reproductive health throughout peer presentations, counseling sessions in Info Centers and outreach activities which enabled young people to make informed decision on their sexual and reproductive health choices.
Credits:United Nations Population Fund
More Information:http://www.unfpa.ba/stranica/35