<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">Early preparedness is crucial for extending humanitarian response and medical assistance to pregnant mothers, babies, adolescents and women for ensuring their health safety during natural disasters.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The opinion came at an orientation meeting on 'Pre-disaster Preparedness and Humanitarian Response' organised by the Civil Surgeon's Office at its conference room in Kurigram district town on Wednesday, said a press release.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Director General of Health Services, UNFPA Bangladesh and LAMB Elimination of Genital Fistula by Capturing, Treating, Rehabilitating and Reintegrating in Bangladesh (FRRei) Project under LAMB-UNFPA partnership program extended technical support in arranging the event.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Kurigram Civil Surgeon Dr Manjur-E-Murshed presided over the meeting and delivered an inaugural speech.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Upazila Health and Family Planning Officers and Medical Officers from all nine upazilas in Kurigram, Midwives, Senior Staff Nurses, officials and experts of UNFPA Bangladesh and LAMB-UNFPA Fistula Elimination Project participated in the event.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Technical Officer of UNFPA Bangladesh Dr. Animesh Biswas, Project Manager of LAMB FRRei Project Mahatab Liton, its Deputy Project Manager Dr. Tahmina Khatun Soniya and District Officer of Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Services for Kurigram Dr. Anindita Barma facilitated different sessions as resource persons.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The resource persons discussed anomalous situations created during natural disasters and ways for working inclusively to ensure services and health safety of pregnant mothers, babies, children and women during natural disasters.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">They narrated issues related to ensuring health safety of adolescents and pregnant mothers during pregnancy and gender-based violence against women during natural disasters.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dr Anindita Barma discussed health risks of pregnant mothers, children and adolescents and ways to ensure health services to them during disasters.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dr Tahmina Khatun Soniya discussed reasons behind increasing frequency of gender-based violence against women, children and adolescents during natural disasters like floods.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">She narrated health risks of pregnant women and sexually assaulted women during natural disasters and modality of providing health services to them round the clock.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dr. Animesh Biswas said Kurigram is facing risks of natural disasters due its topographical location and stressed on ensuring health services to pregnant and lactating mothers, children and adolescents during disasters.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Early preparedness, better coordination and arranging necessary materials are crucial to ensure reaching humanitarian assistance and health services to women and children during disasters," he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify; ">The civil surgeon called for adopting adequate early preparedness to extend humanitarian assistance and health services to women and children in disaster-prone areas of Kurigram during disasters. BSS</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>