Kazkommertsbank, UNICEF, Health Ministry launch project in E Kazakhstan to decrease infant and maternal mortality
ASTANA. November 6. KAZINFORM The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in partnership with Kazakhstan's Health Ministry and the Kus Zholy Charity Fund with financial support of Kazkommertsbank is starting the joint partnership project «Ensuring survival and healthy start for all children through the improvement of antenatal, neonatal care and care for development for children under three years old".
The project's goal is to decrease the infant mortality rate and ensure the healthy start of life for children of preschool age. The project will be implemented in East Kazakhstan region in a pilot fashion and cover around 5,000 kids under three, as well as 10,000 parents. According to statistics, this region with a relatively high population density has high child and maternal mortality rates, the press service of UNICEF Kazakhstan said.
According to the Health Ministry, the infant mortality rate in Kazakhstan is 16.9 per 1,000 livebirths, and the maternal mortality rate is 22.9 per 100,000 livebirths (the 2010 year figures), which is 18 per cent higher than in the countries in Central and Eastern Europe with the same GDP as in Kazakhstan.
"Through joint efforts of UNICEF, the Health Ministry, Kazkommertsbank and the Kus Zholy Charity Fund we will create a sustainable model of high quality antenatal and neonatal care in order to ensure bright and happy future for all the children of Kazakhstan," said UNICEF Representative in Kazakhstan Jun Kukita.
During 12 months Kazkommertsbank will allocate around 16 mln tenge [$106,000] for training of medical workers and parents on antenatal, natal care and care for children under three at women's consultation centres, maternity houses and clinics in East Kazakhstan region. Also, the project envisages providing equipment and necessary materials for care for newborns in maternity houses. The following publications will be printed for free distribution and use "WHO/UNICEF guidelines for future mothers", «Child development calendar with consultations on care and prevention of traumas, poisoning and on proper early child nutrition" as well as other methodological materials for obstetrician-gynecologists, midwives, neonatologists and paediatricians.
The project results will be documented and presented to the Government of Kazakhstan for replicating the practice in other regions of the country so that Kazakhstan will have the infant mortality rate like in middle income countries.
This project is the logical continuation of Kazkommertsbank's own development programmes in the area of child healthcare. Over the past few years the Bank together with the Kus Zholy Fund has installed resuscitation equipment in three maternity departments in rural and district hospitals. For example, since the installation of the equipment in a hospital in the town of Balkhash [in Karaganda Region], the infant mortality rate decreased by 83.6 per cent, the survival rate increased from 81.3 per cent in 2011 to 90.8 per cent in 2012.