The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is actively contributing to two side events at the 65th World Health Assembly which are both driven Maternal, newborn and child heath (MNCH).
Side events
Geneva on Tuesday 22nd May at 8.00-9.30 Breakfast briefing.
Goli Ameri, Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Diplomacy at the IFRC highlighted the care of pre-term babies at community level – recognising the value of traditional practices in line with current WHO guidelines for kangaroo mother care.
Ms Ameri highlighted a number of community-based campaigns undertaken by National Societies Afghanistan, Cameroon, Guatemala and Ghana which, through their extended network of volunteers were able to extend the reach of the kangaroo mother care model. The services, Ms Ameri said, could also provide a bridge to more formal health care services through referral for those babies that need more dramatic clinical support. This is especially vital in remote areas where traditional services may not reach. She also highlighted the work of the Honduran Red Cross Society which has been advocating for, and promoting, the increased participation of fathers in taking care of family health; a move which would ultimate improve maternal, newborn and child health. Read more
For more details on the event click here.
Geneva on Thursday 24th May at 18:30 to 20:00, Restaurant des Délégués, UN Restaurant, 4-8 Avenue de la Paix, IFRC is also co-hosting a reception with World Health Organisation, Unicef, GAVI Alliance, Decade of Vaccines Collaboration, GAVI CSO constituency, the IFRC and Save the Children UK. The event aims to highlight the importance of different components of the Global Vaccine action Plan (GVAP), and share thinking on what this means for countries and how it can be implemented.
Dr Stefan Seebacher, Head of health department spoke on behalf of the Red Cross Red Crescent at this event. He will speak on the role of Civil Society Organisations CSO in the Global Vaccination Action Plan (GVAP) implementation, working with communities and individuals, reaching the most vulnerable and engaging all actors at global, national, community and individual levels. View the agenda
In parallel, during the upcoming World Health Assembly (WHA), there will also be discussion on the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP) which was produced by all those partners who participated in the Decade of Vaccines Collaboration (DoVC). For your information, the GVAP will be available in the coming days at http://apps.who.int/gb/e/e_wha65.html.