CBN-Extra,
23, April 2008
by Olqa Pukhayeva

The core of the proposed activities include the introduction of the WHO new born care package which includes exceptional new born care and neo natal resuscitation practices according to the latest international standards.

Hanna Singer, UNICEF's Representative in Azerbaijan, said this partnership has been built on the government's efforts to improve the mother and child health care.

In recent years the government has ratified a number of programs which are intended to improve mother and child healthcare as part of the 2006-2010 health reform plans. The new national strategy replaces outdated soviet decrees on delivery, neo natal and new born care. This creates a solid foundation for improving mother and new born carried in the country and opens up opportune, ties for implementation of latest international and cost effective interventions in mother and child health," Singer said, Within the framework of a two-year S 200,000 project UNICEF and its partners will create special models and provide training to the local mid-wives, obstetricians and gynecologists at four maternity wards in Baku, Ganja and Sheki.

"What we are hoping for is that by the end of this partnership we will have centers of excellence for maternity care in the country which will start to implement new born neo natal practices according to international standards," Singer said. "This will then become a real the center of excellence for the rest of the region to learn from so that we could go nationwide within other couple of years,"

A new demographic health survey prepared by UNICEF and USA1D with the participation of the Stale Statistic Committee will be introduced in May 2008, Singer stressed that there have always been discrepancies between official statistics and survey statistics. "I want to say that there is some good news from demographic health surveys. Mortality has definitely reduced since the last survey," she added.

Once the scheme is established, UNICEF and farmers plan to take it into rural regions.

"The maternity homes are going to be a challenge and that's why we are modeling them in four districts- Once other hospitals see that it is going to work we can go nationwide, but this is going to be a challenge," Singer said.

Compared to previous years, Singer stressed, the Azerbaijani government has now accepted the problem of infant mortality in Azerbaijan. Singer also stressed that the new demographic health survey is a sign of positive partnership. "As an international organization w want to provide a model if that the government can take nationwide. In CIS countries, especially in oil producing countries, we develop models for governments, and they use their financial facilities and technical facilities they expand the schemes," Singer said.

This partnership of UNICEF with StatoilHydro, Singer said, will hopefully become a rote model for further development of Corporate Social Responsibility in Azerbaijan. "The beautiful thing about the partnership with the StatoilHydro is that they are partnering in die area -which is not sure to give results.

"When you are participating in health it takes long time to show results, but it is really a commitment to involvement in solving the country's problems. This is the kind of corporate responsibility that we are hoping for, not only building clinic, something infrastructural, but really working on the building up capacity." Singer said.

"We believe that our cooperation with UNICEF and the Ministry of Health in this initiative will contribute to the care of newborn in Azerbaijan," Kristian B.Hausken, StatoilHydro Country Manager in Azerbaijan said. "New practices and tools will certainly make life better for mothers and children who will benefit directly from the activities at four selected maternities. It is also our hope that this initiative will have a positive impact on the health of many families and communities in the long term."