President's Address to the Nation: South Kazakhstan oblast observes reduction in infant mortality - Head of regional healthcare administration Z. Ismailov

Head of the regional healthcare administration Zhumagali Ismailov told the correspondent of Kazinform about those measures in details.

Mr. Ismailov, infant mortality reduction in your region is good news. What are the measures that have been taken to achieve it?

Our President set the goal for the region to reduce infant and maternal mortality. We run special international program based on evidence-based medicine and global experience which is effective perinatal technologies, intergraded management of childhood illness.

Thus, Southern Kazakhstan region has taken special measures in accordance with which women must give birth in hospitals that correspond to the level of pregnancy risks and maternity. In order to provide timely aid we constantly monitor the state of women and infants. A resuscitation advisory team has been established that is able to go to the regions and render all possible advisory medical aid to infants and women and if needed to deliver them to a high-level hospital.

Have you already seen results?

Certainly. The international experts from the World Health Organization evaluated the taken measures as positive. As a result of these measures the region experiences positive changes in the form of infant and maternal mortality. The structure of cause of maternal mortality changed. The mortality of infants with normal body weight has also reduced as well as the mortality caused by pneumonia and intestinal infections.

You say that the rate of infant mortality has reduced in the oblast ...

During the period from January-July 2009 the rate of child mortality made 25 deaths per 1, 000 births, while in the same period in 2010 this figure made 20.1. Maternal mortality rate in 2009 was at 37.1 deaths per 100, 000 births. In January-July 2010 this figure reduced to 34.9.

As we know, the region closely cooperates with Lithuania in healthcare sphere. You have invited the Lithuanian doctors to work at the region's hospitals. What is the efficiency of such joint interaction?

You are right. On the initiative of the regional healthcare administration, we have established close cooperation with Lithuania to exchange experience. Due to this we have achieved significant results in reduction of maternal and infant death. Twenty-year experience of implementation of perinatal technologies in Lithuania allowed lowering these figures to the level of developed countries. In this view we have invited a multi-disciplinary team of the Kaunas University of Medicine to work at the No1 Regional Perinatal Centre. The team including three doctors and two medical nurses with high qualification has been working at the Centre for a month. Our oblast is the first to hold such master-classes in obstetric and neonatal practice.

Will you continue interacting with Lithuania in this direction?

Yes, we will. And this is quite effective. Our region has very high rate of child birth. Since the year beginning about 43, 000 children have been born in our oblast. Our Lithuanian colleagues are surprised with the rate of birth. However, weak health of the women remains the main reason of child death.

We will continue our joint work. On August 28 we expect the second Lithuanian team of doctors who will work at No2 Regional Perinatal Centre. Besides, we cooperate with the Novosibirsk University of Medicine. Thus, we have organized trainings for 243 specialists. In whole, the Akimat of the South Kazakhstan oblast has allocated KZT 131 mln for upgrading our doctors' qualification.

Thank you for the interview!