Project to help reduce unsafe abortion death rates in disaster zones

New research led by Dr Nibedita S Ray-Bennett from the School of Management will look into the sexual and reproductive health issues in disaster-prone areas during times of humanitarian crisis.

The project, supported by the International Planned Parenthood Federation’s (IPPF) Innovation Programme, will explore the opportunities and challenges around reproductive health during disasters and emergencies in Bangladesh and Pakistan.

The two year project will look at whether the pre-positioning of Reproductive Health Kit-8 prior to disasters such as flooding or cyclones has the potential to provide Post-abortion care (PAC) services to help reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with complications of unsafe abortions.

The researchers will conduct the evaluation of the RH Kit-8 positioned by IPPF-SAR and IPPF-SAR Member Associations in Pakistan and Bangladesh which will help to reduce the number of women falling ill or dying as a result of a miscarriage (spontaneous abortion) or unsafe induced abortion, during their displacement.

The overall objective of the research study is that the evidence gathered from this research will be used by governing bodies to inform policy and programmatic decisions for Post-abortion care (PAC) services and reproductive health issues in Bangladesh in a humanitarian crisis situation.