Khoy, West Azerbaijan, 6-8 November
The Khoy University of Medical Sciences and UNFPA Iran joined hands in conducting a 3-day training course for 30 midwives in Khoy, West Azarbaijan to highlight the importance of reproductive health and preparedness in natural disasters. The event was supported by UNFPA’s long-standing partners, the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), and the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME).
The city of Khoy witnessed a series of earthquakes starting on 21 September 2022 and progressing into 2023. In response to the latest earthquakes, the UN system in Iran-including UNFPA-succeeded to mobilize resources and partnerships through the One UN Impact Fund. To save the lives of women and girls, UNFPA ensures that reproductive health services are integrated into disaster response.
The three-day training course covered various aspects of emergency reproductive health, including rapid response protocols, and maternal care in crisis scenarios. Issues such as Triage in disasters, conducting CPR for pregnant women and infants, Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) to save lives in crisis, and preventing Sexually transmitted infections (STI) and trauma during and after an emergency.
The hands-on training was designed to empower midwives with the tools and expertise required to deliver effective reproductive health services even in the face of emergencies, ensuring the well-being of mothers and infants in challenging circumstances.
The Governor of the City of Khoy, Mr. Karim Alinejhad, the Chancellor of the Khoy University of Medical Sciences, Dr. Hossein Habibzadeh, and the Chairman of the City Council, Mr. Hamidreza Omrani attended the opening session of the training. Mr. Alinejad highlighted the importance of investing in maternal health, especially in emergencies, and thanked UNFPA for its appropriate and necessary action in allocating funds to promote reproductive health.
The training course not only served as a platform for knowledge exchange but also fostered a sense of community resilience. By bringing together UNFPA, Khoy Medical University, and local midwives, this collaboration exemplified the positive impact achievable through collective efforts in the healthcare sector.
As a testament to the success of the initiative, the participants left the training with enhanced skills, a deeper understanding of reproductive health in emergencies, and a strengthened commitment to providing quality care to their communities. One participant stated that these kinds of events have a great impact on the empowerment of the medical staff. “Once again I felt that I am back at the medical university fifteen years ago”, said Ms. Rahime Jalilzadeh, one of the midwives participating in the training course. “The facilitators were skillful and knowledgeable and they greatly contributed to increasing my theoretical and practical knowledge”.
