Southern Region Humanitarian Regional Team (HRT) Meeting Minutes Minutes of Meeting – 26 October 2015
Participants
OCHA (Chair), UNHCR, WFP, UNAMA, SHAO, SCI, DRC, IOM, ICRC, WHO, ARPD, BARAN, UNODC, Mercy Malaysia and HRDA
Agenda Item and Discussion Action Point By Whom/Status Opening by recitation of Holy Quran of Ahmad Dost - UNHCR N/A N/A Minutes of previous meeting was reviewed (including action points) and adopted.
1. Humanitarian overview in Southern Region - OCHA
OCHA informed participants that, during the reporting period, security incidents are increased across
the region which resulted in challenging some of humanitarian activities in the provinces and limited
access to affected population. The inaccessibility unable humanitarian partners to deliver assistance to
the people who live in remote areas. ICRC/ARCS regularly deliver their services in relation to the
response to affected population in accessible areas, but still there are needs of people to be responded
in the sectors of WASH, Health, FSAC and Nutrition. As we reported previously, that clinics are closed
due to insecurity in the northern districts in Hilmand, however ACTD keeps regular efforts to resume
their activities, despite there are more clinics closed in Hilmand due to recent conflict in Baba Jee and
Malgir villages in Lashkar Gah. Reportedly, AGEs entered to Baba Jee and Malgir HFs which resulted
in destroying some assets therefore, health staff were relocated safely and clinics remains inactive. The
health facilities which are closed in provinces, people are not receiving any nutrition and health
services.
In Kandahar province, recently a clinic was closed due to arm conflict in Ghorak district and three
clinics are remained inactive in Dehrawud and Chora districts in Urozgan province, additionally
sometimes clinics can be faced with lack of medicine due to blocking routes between capital and
districts in the province.
ACTD in Hilmand informed that they have deployed a joint team to Nawzad district which resulted in
resuming their two clinics (Qasim Abad and Bar Nawzad) while negotiation is ongoing for resuming
Nawzad CHC. Furthermore, ACTD may deploy another team to Kajaki district for status of health
facilities in the district. Update will be provided accordingly.
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Apart from the challenges existed in health program, the civilian fatality is another issue to be concerned. According to our information received from Hilmand DoPH that from 18 - 24 Oct, 47 war wounded patients are admitted in EMERGENCY hospital only. Among the patients, 6 are female and 24 under age children, despite 7 dead bodies are arrived to the hospital. Most of the patients are civilians arrived from Baba Jee, Chanjeer, Nad Ali and Marja areas due to recent conflict. According to the ground information, AGEs use people as human shield during the fighting and they also have planted IEDs in public routes and in agricultural farms.
War wounded people in recent conflict in Hilmand from 18 - 24 Oct Total Under Deaths on Date Male Female Remarks Admission age arrival 18 Oct 8 6 2 1 4 The total number of under age 19 Oct 7 5 2 5 2 (children includes in the total 20 Oct 12 11 1 9 1 admission). 21 Oct 5 5 0 1 0 22 Oct 4 4 0 3 0 23 Oct 4 3 1 4 0 24 Oct 7 7 0 1 0
Total 47 41 6 24 7
The last two months are the witness of high number of displacement across the region. According to the last IDP TF meeting, displacement reports have been received from all five provinces in region and joint assessments will be conducted when the reports get confirmed. 2. Presentation on Status of health facilities in SR- by WHO
WHO delivered a presentation on status of active and closed health facilities across Southern Region.
As of 25 Oct, 20 health facilities running by BPHS closed across the region (03 in Kandahar, 12 in
Hilmand, 03 Uruzgan and 02 in Zabul provinces). The main reason for closing the facilities found insecurity, inaccessibility and lack of local staff in community. Moreover, WHO informed about Key health risks in terms of health emergency which includes white areas, natural disasters (dryness) and population movement (IDPs) which causes transfer of disease to the areas where they are displaced.
Regarding the challenges, insecurity, staff turnover, low capacity, low commitment, lake of female Health cluster shall form a joint Next health cluster health staff, existing white areas and Improper locations of some HFs were found the main challenges committee with relevant partners meeting in SR (WHO) across the region (For more information, please see attached presentation). and PHDs to develop an action plan The presentation was found fruitful by the participants and they requested WHO to form a joint for the existed challenges in health committee in next health cluster meeting with relevant PHDs and partners to develop an action plan for
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
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the existed challenges in health sector. This action plan could lead to find a better solution for the sector. challenges jointly with national health cluster and ministry of public health. The action plan could assist relevant ministry to integrate regional AP's recommendations in upcoming planning on country level. BARAN/BPHS in Kandahar informed that immunization is a very important component in health Presentation to be circulated OCHA programme which is faced with challenges due to lack of technical staff and relevant partners conduct alongside minutes. (Done) short courses which couldn't have better impact on vaccination process, however partners involved in immunization, should establish a proper institute for long term education/training to lead in graduating professional vaccinators. 3. Presentation on BARAN NGO activities in Kandahar Province- by BARAN
BARAN/BPHS in Kandahar delivered presentation about their activities. BARAN recently started
SEHAT II project implementation in Kandahar province where running 27 comprehensive health clinics
(CHCs) 17 basic health clinics (BHCs), 1 district hospital (DH) 1 sub-health center (SCH) and 579
health posts HPs. Among the health facilities, 3 CHCs in Shorabak, Reg and Ghorak are closed due to
insecurity, inaccessibility and lack of local staff.
In relation to nutrition CMAM programme, BARAN delivers services in 36 BPHS and 2 Non-BPHS HFs
(Mercy Malaysia clinic and ARCS clinic). Despite, they implement targeted supplementary feeding
program (TSFP) in 35 BPHS and 3 Non-BPHS HFs (Alama Rishad CHC, MM CHC and Kandahar
provincial hospital).
BARAN plans to conduct community midwife education (CME) and community health nursing education
(CHNE) programme in Kandahar province. BARAN highlighted their key challenges as insecurity, low
capacity of staff and lack of local staff in the community, however the NGO expects to fill the gap
through CME and CHNE programme.
BARAN informed that their staff have not received salaries since last four months which may have
negative impact on staff motivation or disturbance health services. BARAN is already in contact with
MoPH for seeking solution but still they have not received any concrete response from the ministry. OCHA and WHO to raise the fund OCHA & WHO Therefore, BARAN requested OCHA and WHO help to address the fund transfer issue at higher level in transfer issue at national health (Done) ICC or health cluster meetings which might lead MoPH to consider the matter. cluster and ICC or HCT meetings. OCHA and WHO will share the issue with OCHA country office and health cluster on national level for further information. 4. Cluster updates:
UNHCR informed, displacement was reported from all five provinces in SR. IDP TF is conducting joint
assessments in Hilmand, Urzgan, Nimroz and Kandahar Province while Zabul assessment is standby
until the reports get confirmed. As of 25 October, In Hilmand province 109 families are identified
displaced to Lashkar Gah and 35 families identified in Kandahar displaced from Ghorak and Musa Qala districts. Meanwhile, assessment is completed in Tarinkot in Urozgan province where identified 81 IDP families displaced from Dehrawud, Shahid Assas and Khas Urozgan districts. In relation to Nimroz displacement, UNHCR informed that 125 families identified in Zaranj displaced from Kanduz, Hilmand, and Farah Provinces. Reportedly, among the figure 34 IDP families from Kanduz are willing to go to United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
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Iran and get approach to Europe. ICRC informed that they are conducting needs assessment for 60 IDP families early reported from Basharan village to ICRC in Hilmand. Therefore, the families will be assisted when their number get confirmed.
HRDA informed that their three projects ongoing across the region.
1. Child Friendly Spaces (CFS): project is funded by War Child Canada which's main purpose is getting back of affected children to normal situation and this project covers beneficiaries and activities as following: Safe Spaces 15 (8 male & 7 female) Children 1500 (845 boys & 655 girls). Facilitators 45 (25 male & 20 female). Community Based Child Protection Mechanism (CBCPM) 423 (243 male & 180 female). Locations: Kandahar city, Daman and Dand districts.
2. Shaping Afghanistan’s Future through Economic Empowerment (SAFEE): is another new project funded by War Child Canada, which is still in the progress and soon will be started but the initial information is as bellow: Safe Space 16 will be established. 222 direct beneficiaries with 70% women 8 month course of literacy, numeracy, etc five days a week. Locations: Kandahar city, Panjwaee and Daman district.
3. SGBV Project: is funded by UNHCR are being implemented by HRDA in Kandahar and Zabul provinces, recently extended for two months. The project activities are as following: SGBV Centers 3 (2 in Kandahar & 1 in Zabul). Women 100 (50 in Kandahar & 50 in Zabul). The trainees are IDPs/returnees. Locations: Kandahar; Tiri Ada and Hakim Sahib Ada & Zabul DoWA department. Activities: Tailoring and women right awareness. 5. AOB
IOM stated that winter is on the way and there is need to start working on a coordinated
winterization plan for upcoming winter.
UNHCR informed that in 2015 contingency plan which was produced until end of September, 5000
families were projected to be displaced but as of end of September IDP-TF identified 2,351 conflict
induced IDP families through various joint assessments. This is the figure of IDPs found in
accessible areas only, and the number would reach the prediction if the remote areas get access. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
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However, to cover the upcoming three months (October - December 2015) UNHCR has predicted OCHA to share IDP contingency OCHA 1,000 more families possibly to be displaced. Therefore, it is requested from HRT members to plan and 3W for updating stockpile (Shared) review the projected caseloads for further endorsement/feedback/comments. with relevant actors in the region to UNHCR also requested humanitarian actors through HRT meeting to update (3W) for their send their inputs to UNCHR. preposition stocks in provinces. It was noted as an action point that OCHA could send 3W matrix to HRT members to send their stockpile inputs to UNHCR Participants informed about some challenges caused by government officials, PC members and tribal elders in ongoing assessments by imposing to accept lists of their people, particularly, the OCHA and UNHCR will address the OCHA or UNCHR issues are highly recorded in Hilmand, and however the matter has been already shared with issue with relevant provincial previous governor. Indeed, OCHA or UNHCR will address the issue with relevant provincial authorities for further solution in authorities for further solution in upcoming joint mission to Hilmand. upcoming joint mission to Hilmand. UNAMA Informed about upcoming field missions on 02 November to Qalat, Zabul and on 30 November to Lashkargah, Hilmand province. 5. Next HRT meeting will be convened on 30 November 2015 at 10:00 hrs Inform participants through email OCHA
Attendance Sheet SR HRT Meeting – 26 October 2015
S/No Name Agency Position Attendance
1. Abdullah Agha OCHA HAO Yes 2. Ahmad Wali Raisi OCHA HAO Yes 3. Sharifullah Hussaini OCHA Admin Yes 4. Fazal Omer Agha Mercy Malaysia Country Director Yes 5. Haji Ahmad Dost UNCHR Snr. Protection Associate Yes 6. Ezatullah Mosser IOM Head of Office Yes 7. Mohammad Rafiq Salih HRDA Project Manager Yes 8. Nasratullah Yarr SCI M & E Officer Yes 9. Nangialai Niazi WFP Snr. Program Assistant Yes 10. Abdul Rauf DRC SPOE Yes 11. Sanaullah Atif ICRC ECOSEC Officer Yes 12. Dr. Noor Khaliq Noor BARAN DT Manager Yes 13. Abdul Qadir Palwal UNODC Head of Office Yes 14. Dr. Khwaja Arghistani UNAMA CA Officer Yes United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
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15. Dr. Najeebullah WHO Polio Coordinator Yes 16. Hameed Ahmad ARPD Area Manager Yes 17. Khalid Ahmad SHAO POM Yes 18. ACF No apologies 19. UNICEF No apologies 20. ANCC No apologies 21. SWABAC No apologies 22. HAPA No apologies 23. AHDS No apologies 24. OHW No apologies 25. MEDAIR No apologies 26. INSO No apologies
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
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