Multi-sector integrated emergency response in 4 hard to reach, conflict-affected districts in Kandahar province Protracted humanitarian crisis and conflict displacement failure in governance and a deep social-economic crisis have a devastating impact on the Afghan population, in particular for the most vulnerable population groups and those caught-up in the active conflict-zones. Southern region, in particular Kandahar Province, is one of the critical areas affected and INTERSOS aims to provide multi-sectoral emergency response program in some of the hard to reach and underserved districts in Kandahar, Arghistan, Maywand, Khakrez and Shah Wali Kot.

INTERSOS opts for a complementary, integrated and comprehensive response strategy combining support for emergency health services provided by the BPHS service provider BARAN in their static centers (health facilities – HF), strengthening trauma care and by complementing the services of the HFs by running mobile outreach teams to bridge the gaps between the communities located in white remote areas (active conflict or AoG-controlled) and the health facilities that are (almost all) located in the government controlled areas, focusing on RH services, supporting the work of CHWs, enhancing community mobilization and awareness for health-WASH. The integrated Health Package will focus on Trauma Care and Reproductive Health (ANC, deliveries, PNC and family planning), complemented by health education and hygiene promotion. INTERSOS will have case managers and social workers linked to the mobile health teams that will be providing PSFA amp PSS to identified protection cases (GBV, PwSN) in need of case management services and conduct collective PSS sessions for most vulnerable groups, in addition to protection awareness which could contribute to enhanced protection and actual prevention from protection issues. The use of mobile teams will allow for high flexibility to redirect life-saving services to those communities most in need, mainly in white areas of selected districts, ensuring coverage and provision of health services enabling families who would otherwise not be able to access treatment - either because of the prohibitive costs of travel or insecurity - to get their children the life-saving assistance they need. 

The project’s general objective is to contribute to the reduction of maternal, child and trauma related morbidity and mortality associated with diseases and hazards resulting from deficient (or non-existing) health services, poor environmental health conditions and lack of protective environment in conflict-affected communities. This intervention is part of an integrated multi-sectorial humanitarian response plan for Kandahar Province to be implemented by INTERSOS in 2017/2018 in order to address the dire basic needs of and provide essential services for (documented and undocumented) Afghani Returnees (Pakistan) and IDPs, in addition to Afghani conflict affected (host) communities. As result from the Multi-sector Assessment conducted by INTERSOS in 15 districts of the province, identified needs are already being addressed by INTERSOS in Kandahar town (IDPs high concentration areas), Maywand, Zheray and Spin Boldak districts through a multi-donor and multi-sectoral program funded by USAID/OFDA, UNHCR and UNICEF in health, nutrition, WASH, livelihood protection and EiE sectors. With the present intervention similar emergency response package will be extended to Arghistan, Khakrez and Shah Wali Kot districts.

The program will target 42.798 individuals gt 29% men, 53% women, 9% boy and 9% girls gt 24% IDP, 8% returnees (DR and UR) and 68% most vulnerable local (host) community (HC).