Ensure the availability, accessibility, affordability and quality of reproductive health services to the marginalized women in allover Gaza Strip The project idea came to response to the urgent health needs in the Gaza Strip (GS) targeting marginalized women of reproductive age as one of the most vulnerable groups through Union of Health Work Committees - UHWC’s 7 health facilities including Al-Awda Hospital and 6 Primary Health Care Centers - PHCCs distributed all over the GS.

This intervention will provide partially or totally free primary reproductive health services to women with high risk pregnancies in addition to pregnant and lactating women with anemia. The provided services will include clinical examination, Ultrasound, lab. tests, medication and supplements including vitamins, iron and folic acid.

Through UHWC’s health facilities Family Planning FP services will be provided free of charge to women in terms of medical examination or FP methods adding to health awareness for them and their husbands.

Secondary reproductive health services (normal and cesarean section CS delivery) will also be provided to the project beneficiaries with affordable prices, while the poorest of the poor women will be provided these services free of charge. Here we would like to point out that the CS services cost 1000 NIS, while the beneficiaries of the project will receive the services for 100 NIS in order to reduce the economic burden on poor families. And it will be free of charge for extreme poverty cases.

In 2018, UHWC provided reproductive health services to 60129 women, 56716 of them received PHC services and 3100 received deliveries out of them 380 CS. It is expected that through the project activities the number of beneficiaries will be increased by 15.8%. 

Individual and group health education will be provided to increase the awareness of women and their husbands about the importance of health follow up during pregnancy, the importance of FP and healthy nutrition.

UHWC also believes in the importance of community participation, where 5 focus groups FGs will be implemented in the middle of the project to monitor and modify the project path if needed. At the end of the project, a further 5 FGs will be held, where they will evaluate the project services.

140 questionnaires will be distributed to measure the satisfaction of the beneficiaries. 

In terms of access to information, the services of the project will be announced through 7 banners located at the UHWC's facilities, in addition to the announcement through UHWC website and social media. As well as at our partners from Community Based Organizations CBOs (more than 78 CBOs) in order to contribute to the dissemination of information related to project services.

In order to increase the level of transparency, the project activities will be documented through audio-visual report that will be published on the UHWC’s website and social media.

UHWC employs a number of 28 obstetricians, 36 nurses, 5 midwives and 15 Lab. technicians. In order to achieve a positive deviance towards increasing the number of beneficiaries and improving the quality and accessibility of services, it is necessary to increase the number of the medical staff and provide some necessary equipment related, medication, medical disposable, supplements, lab. materials and family planning methods in addition to the fuel.

All the above mentioned services will be provided to the affected people including disability in a safety and dignity manner, and without any discrimination.

Protection mainstreaming will be taken into account, as the services will be available to all beneficiaries who needs them, the project services will be provided partially or totally free of charge upon specific criteria. Female medical staff will be available as a response to gender and age needs, privacy and confidentiality will be respected.