Jalal-Abad hospitals receive resuscitation equipment to save child lives

BISHKEK/JALAL-ABAD, 12 April 2017 – To improve child and mother survival, UNICEF and the Ministry of Health of Kyrgyzstan continue the implementation of the project “For Advancing Peace through Enhanced Maternal and Child Healthcare in Conflict-prone Regions” funded by the Government of Japan. On 12 April, Minister of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic Taltanbek Batyraliev, Governor of Jalal-Abad province Kyanbek Satybaldiev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Kyrgyz Republic Yoshihiro Yamamura, and UNICEF Representative in the Kyrgyz Republic Yukie Mokuo took part in the handover ceremony and provided life-saving medical equipment worth nearly US$40,000 to the Jalal-Abad Oblast Hospital. Also, the maternity and children departments of the Jalal-Abad Oblast Hospital have been renovated, including water supply and sewage systems (US$113,878) and received supplies and equipment worth over $42,000 earlier in the framework of this project. As a result, two delivery rooms are fully equipped, intensive care services for mothers and newborns have been brought into service, and maternity wards now have emergency kits; three assisted breathing machines, nebulizers, monitors, infusion pumps have been provided to the Jalal-Abad Oblast Hospital.

”Japan has been supporting Kyrgyzstan since its independence in different areas, including in the health sector. I hope that the provided equipment will help to improve the health of mothers and children contributing to peacebuilding and safety in Kyrgyzstan, which is an important factor for the stability in the Eurasian region,” - noted Yoshihiro Yamamura, Ambassador of Japan to the Kyrgyz Republic. 

During the ceremony, UNICEF Representative Yukie Mokuo noted: “This support - equipment and enhanced skills of healthcare workers - contributes significantly to child survival, as doctors are now better equipped to save child lives. These modern breathing machines for intensive care and resuscitation services could function also in case of blackouts. Thus, more children will survive and get a good start in life.” 

With Japan’s contribution of US$2.5 million, UNICEF and the Ministry of Health have been implementing the project “For Advancing Peace through Enhanced Maternal and Child Healthcare in conflict-prone regions” since 2014 in four provinces of the country. It resulted in improved water and sanitation infrastructure in maternity and children wards of eight hospitals, enhanced skills and knowledge of over 700 medical workers, provision of essential medical equipment and supplies, and increased community awareness on and demand of health care services in Issyk-Kul, Osh, Jalal-Abad, and Batken provinces. Moreover, 46,340 pregnant women and 73,500 mothers in 860 villages of Osh, Batken and Jalal-Abad provinces learned to identify danger signs of pregnancy and diseases.    

Project activities contribute to the reduction of infant mortality and increasing child and mother survival in Kyrgyzstan. The official signing of the Exchange Notes to allocate US$2.5 million by the Government of Japan took place on 31 July 2014.