Five maternity hospitals received equipment to improve the quality of services for pregnant women, mothers and newborns

A ceremony of handing over equipment at the Perinatal Center of the National Center for Maternity and Child Protection, organized by the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on 12 September 2024, has become another contribution and a significant step towards improving maternal health. As part of the quality improvement project, this initiative is designed to reduce preventable severe maternal morbidity in the country.

The ceremony was attended by high-ranking officials, including the First Deputy Minister of Health, Meder Ismailov, who noted in his speech: “This project is very important for the country, as it is aimed at reducing preventable maternal morbidity. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Government of India for this support and UNFPA for implementing this project, and I wish my colleagues good results in implementing this vital project.”

The equipment was handed over as part of a project funded by the India-UN Development Partnership Fund. It aims to improve access to quality medical services through the use of the Obstetric Surveillance and Response System (OSRS) and teleconsultations in five pilot maternity hospitals in Kyrgyzstan.

“It is a great honor for me to be a part of this event as well as a project related to the health of the population of the Kyrgyz Republic. Health is the most important value in life, and when it comes to mothers, the issue becomes paramount. And when we invest in the health of a mother, we invest not only in the health of one person, but also in the health of her children, her loved ones and, accordingly, the whole society. Such health-related costs become not expenses, but investments. And when we invest in the health of the population, we contribute to the development of the country itself,” said Mr. Mohan Singh, Chargé d'Affaires of the Embassy of India in the Kyrgyz Republic.

During the ceremony, which was timed to coincide with the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation, a wide range of necessary equipment was handed over, emphasizing the universal desire to strengthen the health of mothers and newborns. Among the gifts were 40 tablets for monitoring the process of childbirth and providing assistance to pregnant women and newborns during labor and delivery in real time, and 21 computers for the introduction of telemedicine and teleconsultations in real time in case of urgent obstetric conditions.

In addition, in order to automate the process of issuing birth certificates and integrate the service on the State Portal of Electronic Services, computers will be installed in pilot maternity hospitals as an important step in improving the quality of public services and simplifying procedures for citizens. This will allow parents to issue birth certificates for their children online while still in maternity hospitals, which will significantly speed up the process of obtaining a document and reduce the need to visit government agencies.

With mentioned solutions, the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic seeks to create more convenient and efficient conditions for citizens, simplifying bureaucratic processes and reducing the time spent on obtaining important documents.

In addition to technical equipment, 100 power banks, 100 blankets for low-weight and premature newborns to maintain and preserve the thermal chain, 100 elbow dispensers for organizing work taking into account infection control, and 100 pairs of closed shoes for surgical medical personnel for use in operating rooms and sterile zones, as an important element of professional uniforms in order to comply with hygiene and sanitary safety standards, will be delivered to five maternity hospitals of the secondary and tertiary levels, namely Osh Interregional United Clinical Hospital, Jalal-Abad United Clinical Hospital, Issyk-Kul and Chui Regional United Hospital and the Perinatal Center of the National Center for Maternity and Child Protection.

This comprehensive initiative has the potential to make a significant contribution to improving maternal health in Kyrgyzstan. By leveraging technology and fostering collaboration, it demonstrates the commitment of all involved partners to ensuring the safety and well-being of women and newborns across the country.