FSM, 28 April 2021 – A first-ever three-day virtual training on the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) is currently underway in the Pohnpei, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) for midwives, nurses, doctors, and key partners representing the country.

The MISP for Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) in crises is a set of priority, lifesaving activities required to respond to the SRH needs of affected populations at the onset of a humanitarian crisis and if these needs remain neglected, it could result in life-threatening consequences.

The Government of FSM’s Department of Health and Social Affairs (DHSA) in the context of its COVID-19 preparedness and response plan identified the need to train health providers on the Minimum Initial Service Package for SRH in Crises.  The Government of the FSM, is committed to accelerated implementation and funding of the ICPD Programme of Action, and key actions for the continued implementation of the Programme of Action of the ICPD and Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Our double up efforts will include (a) use of evidence-informed and targeted policy engagement to inform national policy and programming decisions, planning, implementation and monitoring that lead to increased climate change resilience and sustainable development in FSM; (b) evidence based analysis and update on population and development in the context of ICPD and SDGs in FSM Voluntary National Report for SDGs at the HLPF in July 2020; (c) investments in timely and high quality population surveys such as MICS/DHS in 2020 and census completed by 2022 to ensure the right data is available at the right time to support national policy and programming decisions that address climate change and universal health coverage, and that lead to universal to access to SRHR, gender equality and the empowerment of young people to reach their potential.

Dr. Rally Jim, Chief of Public Health for Pohnpei State, in his opening remarks said that the Pohnpei State is very fortunate to be the first state in the FSM to receive this important training.

“Reproductive health and maternal health including family planning, ante-natal, and post-natal care, delivery, HIV/STI services are all essential services that must continue to be provided by the health care system in the event of any humanitarian crisis including potential COVID-19 outbreak. Our health system must have the capacity to ensure that essential life-saving SRH services continue even amid emergencies. The MISP Training will capacitate our health care workers to continue to provide these essential health services during times of crisis,” said Dr. Jim.

“I take this opportunity to thank the UN system in particular UNFPA for providing the technical tools and support and making this capacity-building opportunity for our health workers possible. As we focus our efforts on COVID-19 preparedness, our government is very grateful for this timely capacity-building initiative,” concluded Dr. Jim.

The MISP is developed by the Inter-Agency Working Group for Reproductive Health in Crisis (IAWG). UNFPA, in partnership with stakeholders, supports the implementation of the MISP to make sure that all affected populations have access to lifesaving SRH services. The key aims of the implementation are that there is no unmet need for family planning, no preventable maternal deaths, and no gender-based violence (GBV) or harmful practices, even during humanitarian crises.

Dr. Jennifer Butler, UNFPA Pacific, Director, and Representative, in her opening remarks, said that the FSM is one of the fourteen countries which UNFPA has served over the past four decades. We firmly believe, our partnership and country programme will flourish even more, with the North Pacific Multi-Country Office. “We look forward to working closely with the Government of the Republic of the FSM and the four states including Pohnpei State, to support a country-owned and led pathway to universal health coverage including universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights.”

She said that as a Pacific Small Islands Developing State, the FSM is on the front line of climate change.  We see the effects of prolonged droughts. We see how king tides erode the coastline. “We see how the sea water that sips into the water tables affect water and food security. In the midst of these climate induced vulnerabilities, the threat of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic call for greater cooperation and a resilience for survival. Despite the adversities and uncertainties of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, we know that the FSM, in keeping to its s Strategic Development Plan will embrace “resilience in all its dimensions’’ moving forward,” stressed Dr Butler.

She said the survival of women, expectant mothers and newborn babies is dependent on access to critical health services, such as emergency obstetric care, sexual and reproductive health services, access to a safe space for survivors of violence. To ensure collective resilience of affected populations, it’s critical to understand and accommodate the needs, perspectives and capacities of women, girls, men and boys because they are not only different, they are specific.

Dr. Butler added that the United Nations Population Fund is deeply grateful to the Government of New Zealand for the funding support to FSM through the NZ-UN Pacific Partnership. This funding support has enabled this MISP training and the critical work required to ensure access to youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services for adolescents and young people.

In conclusion, Dr.Butler conveyed her appreciation to the Government of FSM, the value and quality of genuine and durable partnership, as a critical component in making the promise of the Strategic Development Plan, the KAILA Declaration, the Nairobi ICPD25 Commitments, and the Sustainable Development Goals a reality for the people of the FSM.  

UNFPA strives to ensure that MISP activities and additional SRH services are included in all phases of the humanitarian programme cycle.

                                                                                                                  -ENDS-

About UNFPA:

UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. Our mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The organization was created in 1969, the same year the United Nations General Assembly declared “parents have the exclusive right to determine freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children.” UNFPA’s Pacific Sub-Regional Office located in Suva, Fiji, supports 14 countries and territories.  For more information on UNFPA Pacific and its work on women and young persons, follow UNFPAPacific on Twitter and Facebook

For more information, please contact:

In FSM: Evelyn Adolph, UN Programme Specialist, Tel: +691 3204192, adolph@unfpa.org

In Fiji: Navinesh Kumar, Communications Analyst, Tel: +679 993 2259, nkumar@unfpa.org