IDF at APCRSHR

The Ninth Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights (APCRSHR) Expanding Health Worker Roles for Comprehensive Abortion Care In India November 28, 2017 Time 5:30 pm to 6:00 pm Venue: Room M4, Quang Ninh Exhibition of Planning and Expo Center (QNEPEC), Halong Bay, Vietnam
About the session: Department of Reproductive Health and Research, WHO and Ipas Development Foundation (IDF) hosted a satellite session at the ninth APCRSHR conference on November 28, 2017 in Vietnam. WHO released the guidelines on the role of health workers in safe abortion care and post-abortion contraception in 2015. IDF undertook exhaustive mapping of the legal and policy landscape to match the in-country cadres with those listed in the WHO guidelines and held consultations with experts to draft policy recommendations for expanding provider base. This session was designed to discuss the role of health workers in provision of safe abortion care and post abortion contraception in India and highlight strategies of moving from policy to program strengthening for leveraging role of health workers. The process of drafting policy recommendations in India could be replicated in other countries as well
Moderators
1. Dr. Bela Ganatra, WHO
Dr. Bela Ganatra leads the technical work on preventing unsafe abortion at the Department of Reproductive Health and Research at the World Health Organization, Geneva. The departments current work on abortion includes the development of global normative guidance on clinical service delivery and policy issues, monitoring global trends in abortion incidence and safety, and in conducting relevant research. She has been closely involved with the recent guidance on health worker roles in safe abortion care and post-abortion contraception.

2. Mr. Vinoj Manning, IDF Mr. Vinoj Manning is the Executive Director of Ipas Development Foundation, an NGO dedicated to preventing and managing unwanted pregnancies, and ending deaths and disabilities faced by women as a result of unsafe abortion. He leads a multi-disciplinary team of close to 200 staff working across 12 states in India. He oversees IDF’s efforts to improve the environment for safe abortion services and increase access to comprehensive contraceptive care in the country. He has been working with IDF for over 15 years now and is particularly interested in strengthening the capacity of health systems to provide high-quality abortion and contraceptive care and improving the evidence base for the provision of safe abortion care

1. Dr. Sumita Ghosh, GoI
Dr. Sumita Ghosh is the Deputy Commissioner in the Maternal Health Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Dr. Ghosh leads the CAC program at the national level and provides critical technical leadership in formulation and implementation of national and state level health interventions under the maternal health programme in India.

2. Dr. Atul Ganatra, FOGSI Dr. Atul Ganatra is a leading Obstetrician Gynecologist and Gynecological Endoscopist in India. Dr. Ganatra is currently serving as Coordinator, Department of Gynec Endoscopy, Fortis Hospital, Mumbai. He is a distinguished member of Indian Association of Gynecological Endoscopists and Technical Advisory Group Ipas. Dr. Ganatra has also served as former Vice-President of Indian Medical Association and former chairperson of MTP committee, FOGSI.

3. Dr. Manju Chhugani, Advocate for Nursing-Midwifery and Nursing Education
Dr. Manju Chhugani is an academician and a versatile leader in the field of nursing and midwifery. She has over two decades of extensive hands-on experience in the field of maternal and child health and university teaching. She holds office with the Society of Midwives (India) Central, and works tirelessly towards safe motherhood in India. She is a distinguished member of various national and international NGOs like UNFPA, UNCIEF and the C3India formerly CEDPA India

4. Dr. Anchita Patil, Public Health Expert Dr. Anchita Patil is a public health expert in India and consults with various NGOs and UN agencies. She has worked in the past with UNFPA and WHO in India. She has assisted IDF in drafting the policy paper on role of health-workers in expanding access to safe abortion care and post-abortion contraception in India in consultation with experts from the field.

For any further information about the session, please contact Ms. Medha Gandhi, Director Policy, Ipas Development Foundation at gandhim@ipas.org