PESHAWAR - Health experts at a workshop on ‘Maternal and Neonatal Healthcare in Crisis Situation’ on Thursday called for evolving a strategy for provision of better healthcare facilities to expecting women and newborn children in conflict and disaster-hit regions. They urged the govt line-agencies, particularly Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), to develop a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) under its contingency plan to ensure better and timely health facilities to women during pregnancy in the conflict-stricken and far-flung districts of the province. The two-day workshop on Minimum Initial Services Package for “Sexual Reproductive Health in Crisis” held under the auspices of Rahnuma-FPAP, a non-governmental organization in collaboration with the UNFPA, the UN agency working on population.Notable among the speakers included Gohar Zaman, Regional Director, Rahnuma-Family Planning Association Pakistan (FPAP), KPK chapter, Tauqir Mustafa, Program Manager (Health), Lubna Tajik, UNFPA provincial coordinator, Dr Nabeela Dar, and Dr Roshana. Whereas a large number of health department officials, representatives of non-governmental organization and donor agencies were participated in the program. While Ms Lubna Tajik in her presentation on ‘Maternal and Newborn Health in pre and post crisis situation, referred a global study that indicated that the leading cause of death among women of reproductive age is nearly 536,000 across the glob due to the displacement situation. According to the study, she added that a number of causes of maternal death worldwide, including haemorrhage, obstruction, sepsis, eclampsia and unsafe abortion. The decision to seek care, reaching health facility, and receiving appropriate treatment could be prevented high complication of delivery newborn child and reduce the ratio of women mortality and mobility, she maintained. She suggested that a referral mechanism must be adopted to overcome with pre-and post maternal and neonatal healthcare issues in far-flung areas due to troubled conditions. Referring the study, she said that around 50 per cent of maternal deaths were occurred after delivery, while about the same per cent of newborn deaths happened in the first 24 hours. Similarly, Tauqir Mustafa, in a presentation on Minimal Initial Services Package (MISP), stressed the need for provision all pre-requisite medical facilities to expecting women and newborn child in order to reduce risk of morality, morbility and sexual violence in crisis situation. He also suggested that PDMA should develop a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) under its contingency plan for disaster-hit areas, to ensure better maternal and neonatal healthcare facilities.On the occasion other health experts including Dr Nabeela, Dr Roshana were also highlighted the gap in better health services delivery to women and newborn child during the conflict-stricken region. Earlier the NGO head, Gohar Zaman explained the participants about his organisation operational activities and advocacy services for provision of better healthcare facilities.