SRH needs of Syrian refugees in Jordan nine years post crisis: with emphasis on MISP implementation and transition into comprehensive SRH services

Abstract

Background: Millions of Syrians have been forcibly displaced since March 2011. Most of them live in neighbouring countries, including Jordan, with adolescent girls and women as the most vulnerable populations. After almost nine years of the protracted crisis, it was essential to examine available evidence around the effectiveness of MISP/SRH interventions implemented for them in Jordan to inform the humanitarian community and the government by identifying best practices, essential gaps, bottlenecks, and lessons learnt. Methods: Using a previously validated MISP/SRH survey tool and combining quantitative and qualitative research methods, an assessment was conducted in 2018 in four governorates of Jordan to evaluate the availability of MISP/SRH interventions/programs. Data were obtained by trained data collectors and analyzed in SPSS-IBM.Results: Overall, 58 key informants (KIs) from 15 different entities/agencies participated in the assessment. KIs/respondents had various levels of knowledge/sources of information about the MISP/SRH services and had variable engagement in implementation. The results of this assessment highlighted significant knowledge gaps about the implementation of MISP objectives and priorities, even after almost nine years of the onset of the crisis. Among different MISP activities, family planning, maternal health, condom distribution, and newborn health services had the highest level of preparation and implementation, while availability of antiretrovirals (ARVs) for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) and access to safe blood had the lowest level of preparation and implementation. This assessment also showed lack of national coordination in the provision of different SRH services, lack of a national plan for capacity building, and lack of adequate logistics support systems and funding. Conclusions: Important gaps in the knowledge and implementation of MISP/SRH activities continue to exist in Jordan almost nine years into the Syrian displacement. Areas in need of focus include: national coordination in the provision of SRH services, a national plan for capacity building, logistics support systems, and funding for MISP/SRH services provision. Additional funding needs include: Capacity building of service providers with focus on training activities around different MISP/SRH services, facilitating emergency preparedness, improving coordination, and improving referral systems.