15,000 rural families in Batken, Jalal-Abad and Osh oblasts will receive counselling on childcare

BISHKEK, 25 August 2021 - The Republican Center for Health Promotion, with the support of UNICEF and the Government of Japan, launches a two-month educational training programme on childcare for 1,000 members of the Village Health Committees (VHCs) in Batken, Jalal-Abad and Osh oblasts. Based on the training programme, community volunteers will support and inform over 15,000 families in rural areas on key principles of childcare and early childhood development.

This programme will train VHC members on the importance of home visits of healthcare workers, breastfeeding, counselling on childcare, vaccination and COVID-19 prevention at the family and community level. VHC members will disseminate this information to families who are involved in raising young children.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, VHC members have used WhatsApp groups to disseminate information to community members. Members of the groups include parents of children under 5 years old, who live in the villages they work and a family nurse. VHC members have learned how to conduct online information sessions, share materials with parents through the WhatsApp groups, answer their questions, and, if necessary, refer families to doctors.

This training programme will contribute to demand generation for high-quality medical services and promote a culture of quality childcare in rural families, focusing on the comprehensive development of children and the realization of their potential.

This programme is implemented under the auspices of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Kyrgyz Republic within the UNICEF supported project “Strengthening Maternal and Child Health Care Systems”, funded by the Government of Japan.