Essential life-saving integrated Health, Nutrition, GBV and MHPSS services to people affected by spring disasters in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces In response to AHF 2nd Reserve Allocation 2021, HNI-TPO will implement health, nutrition, GBV, and MHPSS services in priority districts of Kunar and Nangarhar provinces. The HNI-TPO is a Netherland-based international organization working in Afghanistan since 1994 in health, nutrition, MHPSS, communicable disease control, GBV, humanitarian services, capacity building, and research. The HNI-TPO has been present in the eastern region provinces since the beginning of its operations in Afghanistan. Currently, HNI-TPO is  BPHS/EPHS implementers in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces. HNI-TPO has several other active projects in the two provinces and other areas of Afghanistan. Most importantly, HNI-TPO is running Family Protection Centers in eastern provinces

Owing to the progressively widening circle of hard-to-reach areas due to the worsening security situation in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces, the access of people to the existing BPHS services is increasingly diminishing. As stipulated in AHF 2nd Reserve Allocation Paper and Afghanistan Spring Disaster Contingency Plan, the situation is further aggregated by climatic anomalies, intensifying conflict, new and protracted internal displacement, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which are exacerbating the pre-existing needs and vulnerabilities of the people in both provinces and elsewhere in Afghanistan. Currently, people have either no or limited access to the BPHS HFs in hard to reach and insecure areas of Dara-e-pech, Chapa Dara, Ghaziabad, and Sarkani districts of Kunar, and in Sorkh Road and peri-urban areas of Nangarhar.

To address the needs and vulnerabilities of the people in selected districts of  Kunar and Nangarhar provinces, the project will provide essential life-saving health, nutrition, GBV, and MHPSS services through six integrated mobile teams. Four integrated mobile health teams will be established in Kunar province – one team in Dara-e-pech district (Kunar Team-1), one team in Chapa Dara district (Kunar Team-2), one team in Ghaziabad district (Kunar Team-3),  and one team in Sarkani district (Kunar Team-4) – likewise, two integrated mobile teams will be established in Nangarhar province – two teams in Sorkh Road district (Nangarhar Team-1 and Nangarhar Team-2 ), Each integrated mobile team will be staffed with one MD, one midwife, one nutrition nurse, one vaccinator, two psychosocial support officers (male and female), and one community mobilizer. 

Furthermore, in order to address the deeper need and vulnerabilities of girls and women, the project will strengthen GBV and MHPSS activities in the existing selected BPHS health facilities of Kunar and Nangarhar provinces by employing one Psychosocial Support Officer in each selected BPHS health facilities. The BPHS health facilities have been selected based on the assessment carried out by HNI-TPO provincial teams and in consultation with PPHDs of Kunar and Nangarhar provinces.18 psychosocial support officers will be hired in Kunar province, and 3 psychosocial officers will be hired in Nangarhar provinces. 

The proposed project will also enhance the capacity of the selected health facilities by the provision of essential medicine and medical supplies to ensure a timely and appropriate response to seasonal infectious disease outbreaks including AWD and measles. 20 BPHS health facilities in Kunar and 3 BPHS health facilities in Nangarhar, selected in view of the field assessment and consultation with the PPHDs, will be provided essential medicine and medical supplies.

The proposed project will provide services to 138,255 affected persons including 13,143 men 40,590 women 40,967 boys and 43,555 girls. The project will be implemented through a dedicated team with support from SEHATMANI provincial teams and the HNI-TPO country office. The supervision and monitoring will be carried out by the dedicated supervisors/officers and the MampE