Within the framework of the humanitarian response and in coordination with the Executive Directorate of Sexual and Reproductive Health of the Ministry of Health (DSARE-MINSA), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Peru is making a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) donation of half million dollars to contribute to the operational continuity of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, to the prevention and attention of gender-based violence and to ensure the supply of modern contraceptives and reproductive health supplies.
In Peru, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted primary health-care services for multiple reasons, including a decrease in available staff due to reassignment to attend infected patients or pre-existing comorbidities, limited availability of Personal Protective Equipment for SRH service operators and the user’s fear of attending health facilities.
In response to these needs, DSARE-MINSA and UNFPA in Peru have prioritized ensuring the biosecurity of health personnel as well as of users attending the services. Also, there are plans to strengthen the attention of births and obstetric emergencies through the donation of sexual and reproductive health kits.
The donation consists of:
- 25 thousand KN95/FFP2 high filtration masks, 230 thousand IIR surgical masks, 259 thousand pairs of gloves and 13,800 overalls for sexual and reproductive health personnel.
- 335,550 masks for sexual and reproductive health users.
- 79 sexual and reproductive health kits, with medicines and medical instruments.
All these supplies will be distributed as a priority to primary health-care facilities in Tumbes, Piura, Lambayeque, Lima (district of San Juan de Lurigancho) and the regions of the Amazon. A second delivery is planned with the same quantity of products.
In this way, considering that the health emergency by COVID-19 has a differentiated impact on women and girls, especially in populations in situations of greater vulnerability such as indigenous and afro-descendant women, migrants and refugees or women with disabilities, the Ministry of Health and UNFPA in Peru help ensure that nobody is left behind in the exercise of their sexual and reproductive rights.
