Dr. Natalia KANEM, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) visited and appreciated a mobile team providing integrated reproductive health and family planning (RH/FP) services with the partner MSI in the health district of Pout, in the company of his Excellency Mr. Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr, Minister of Health and Social Action.
This field visit made it possible to visualize the synergy of actions between an NGO (MSI), CBOs and a health district that benefits from UNFPA's support in order to break down geographical, sociocultural and financial barriers, thus contributing to strengthening women's and girls' access to integrated FP and RH services of client-centered quality.
The delegation of the Executive Director of UNFPA and his Excellency the Minister of Health and Social Action were able to understand the contribution of UNFPA in the field through the synergy of actions in the provision of integrated RH/FP services.
The delegation was also able to provide useful advice to health care providers, the MSI team, beneficiaries and local community leaders on how to improve the use and delivery of quality integrated MNCHI/FP services at the Keur Moussa Health Center.
This undeniably strengthens the partnership between the government and UNFPA. In the opinion of the Minister of Health, "This is an effective partnership because it directly affects women's health. It will also have a positive impact on the indicators, in particular the reduction of maternal and neonatal mortality." Mr. Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr added that "the government, through its ministerial department, has been committed for several years to reducing the maternal and neonatal mortality rate by two-thirds. We will spare no effort in this regard, to provide all facilities with family planning products. This is why a budget of 500 million CFA francs has been set aside, with an annual increase of 20%, to provide the necessary coverage.
During this visit, women came in great numbers and were exposed to different messages on the benefits of family planning and the different contraceptive methods during the traditional talk that precedes the service offer. This activity particularly caught the attention of the two authorities.
The community actors, the central pillar of the health system, were also present and were congratulated and thanked by the Minister of Health and the Executive Director for their remarkable and voluntary work in the service of the community.
The international NGO Marie Stopes Senegal was praised by the two authorities for its efforts to meet the family planning and reproductive health needs of women and adolescents/youth.
UNFPA took the opportunity to give the Minister of Health equipment to support the Keur Moussa health post in the Pout district. According to Ms. Natalia Kanem, this equipment will improve the working conditions of the health post workers and provide a good reception for patients, especially women.
"We have just spent a memorable day with the women of Keur Moussa who have accepted family planning services. It is a pleasure for me to offer this equipment to the health post to allow the health staff to do their job properly. Our goal is that each woman can benefit from quality care for her development," said Dr. Natalia Kanem at the end of the visit.
Mrs. Salimata Diouf Cisse, Director of MSI, made a point of indicating the following about the mobile clinics: "This is a strategy that we are carrying out in the regions, particularly with the support of UNFPA, by offering the whole range of family planning methods to women. In addition, we are screening for cervical cancer and also preventing and treating sexually transmitted infections.
At the end of this impregnation in Keur Moussa, the fruitful partnership between UNFPA, the Government of Senegal and MSI for the well-being and development of women was praised by the whole delegation led by the Executive Director of UNFPA.
