Emergency life-saving health response for vulnerable populations in Merka As Sufla district, Shabwah Governorate (Priority 3) Through the proposed intervention, Relief International (RI) will deliver life-saving health services through support to 2 static health facilities (HF) in Merka As Sufla district, Shabwah - Khorah Health Centre (HC) and Al Hajar Health Unit (HU). Through the framework of the Minimum Service Package (MSP) services including out-patient consultations, reproductive health services and immunizations will be provided. RI will also support 2 outreach teams attached to the static HF to improve access to health services for people living in the third level of the catchment population and IDP camps.
RI will support the HF with payment of allowances for the healthcare staff to ensure that health service delivery is undertaken by qualified staff. In addition, HF will be provided with medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and furniture to ensure that the HF have the required enabling environment to provide curative services and perform required medical procedures. Healthcare staff will be trained on protection, gender and inclusion mainstreaming to strengthen their support to particularly vulnerable persons while ensuring they are adhering to the highest standards of gender and protection mainstreaming principles. Groups identified as particularly vulnerable will be engaged in awareness sessions and consulted on the barriers they have encountered in accessing health services. This input will be considered throughout project implementation, with a focus on reducing stigma, encouraging participation and empowering vulnerable persons with the knowledge they need to fully benefit from the services offered under the project. To ensure delivery of quality services and continued quality improvement, RI will ensure continued presence in the health facilities through the project officer and assistant who will visit the support health facilities twice every week and supervise outreach activities on alternate outreach days. RI has an office in Shabwah and has budgeted for a program car to facilitate the movement of the program staff to the program areas.
To promote standards of safety and comfort within the HF, RI will also support rehabilitation of the HF to ensure adequate and safe water supply, sanitation and waste management facilities. This will contribute to positive hygiene practices and ensure healthcare-associated waste is managed safely to avoid posing risks to patients, staff and the environment. 
RI will further support preparedness and response for disease outbreaks including COVID-19 through prepositioning of response materials such as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), establishment of a triage system and training of HF staff on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC). RI will also support the HF in ensuring weekly surveillance reports are compiled and submitted through the Electronic Disease Early Warning System (eDEWS) managed by the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MoPHP).
The area of intervention for the project as well as the identified HF have been selected in collaboration with the Governorate Health Office (GHO) in Shabwah (Annex 8) and MoPHP in Aden was actively engaged in the nomination process. RI is undertaking further coordination with government ministries including the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation (MoPIC) to ensure that the objectives and the scope of the project are well understood and to facilitate timely approval at project outset.