Lifesaving Emergency Health Response for Conflict Affected Communities of East and West Wollega Zones In alignment with EHF 2021 2nd round strategic allocation document, WVE designed this project to respond to the emergency needs of the people in Oromia region of East Wollega zone (Kiramu , Gida Ayana and Gutu Gida Woredas ) and West Wollega zone (Guliso, Mana Sibu and Kiltu kara Woredas).

WVE will deploy six Mobile Health and Nutrition Teams (MHNT), one per each Woreda in the two zones.. One MHNT will consist of five health workers and will include: one Health Officer, one Outpatient Therapeutic Patient/Stabilization Center (OTP/SC) Nurse, one Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) Officer, one Midwife, and one GVB, Psycho social and Mental Health Officer. MHNT is expected to act as temporary and /or outreach clinic for OPD consultation like ANC, PNC, labor and delivery, screening of GBV survivable, child and neonatal illness, communicable and non-communicable infectious diseases, referral linkage and other common lines under their respective Woreda or catchment area. The project will support the transportation and distribution of Emergency Drug Kit (EDKs), cholera kits, reproductive health kits, trauma kits, and other medical supplies from SWAN /WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA warehouses to 36 targeted health facilities. 

WV will work in collaboration with district health authorities and communities to support the populations that have suffered from the conflict have access to mentally/psychologically services through enhancing the referral system. Given the especially high levels of health and protection concerns for women in in West and East Wollega of Oromia region, WV expects the needs to be high over the project period. The project will work towards creating referral linkages to an estimated 180 GBV survivors out of these 72 need referral for further investigation, diagnosis and management at referral center .The GBV officer (from protection team) within each of the MHNTs will ensure a response to the health needs of survivors of gender-based violence. The officer will help the women in a way that is supportive, helps to meet her needs, and prioritizes her continued safety without intruding on her privacy. The GBV officer will immediately refer survivors with life-threatening or severe conditions for emergency treatment, otherwise, the GBV officer will screen, diagnose, and provide PSS for less critical cases on site. All survivors will be referred for further clinical care to the nearest health facilities with referral slips. WV will provide PFA and GBV basic principles training for health workers and front line workers. Additionally, WV will advocate for service availability at referral sites through protection cluster for strengthening humanitarian assistance in the area and establishment of referral pathways for protection cases.
WV will support health facilities that are highly affected by the conflict and need support to resume operations. WV will also provide capacity building training to 48 health workers on Psychological First Aid (PFA and train 48 Public Health Emergency Management Task Force and health workers on outbreak control, management, and response. Additionally, 120 health extension workers (HEWs) will be trained on active surveillance, screening, contact tracing and referrals.

In response to high instances of disease outbreaks in East and West Wollega zones\, like measles and cholera, the project will work with the local health authorities. Finally, WV will strengthen Ethiopia Public Health Emergency Management’s (PHEM) response capacity on supervision and monitoring. More than 147, 962 IDPs and host communities who directly affected from conflicts will benefit from the project.