Achievements in improving quality of neonatal care in Armenia

Armenian Association of Neonatal Medicine presents the project implemented with funding support from the US Agency for International Development

 

Yerevan – “In 2018, as compared to the annual average indicator of the past three years, the newborn mortality rate at Muratsan Hospital Complex, decreased by 48%, and the tendency continues”, said Dr. Hrant Kalenteryan, President of the Armenian Association of Neonatal Medicine and Head of the Neonatal Intensive Therapy Unit at Muratsan Hospital Complex, which is servicing all the marzes of Armenia. According to the official statistics of the Ministry of Health of Armenia as of 2019, the mortality rate in Armenia is reduced by 19-20% comparing with the last 4-year results. Decrease of mortality rate was one of the key goals of the “Improving Quality of Neonatal Care Services in Armenia” project implemented by the Armenian Association of Neonatal Medicine and funded by the US Agency for International Development. 

 

Today the Armenian Association of Neonatal Medicine held the closing event of the project. The project ensured the efficient access to up to date newborn care knowledge and skills for care takers ensuring timely counseling and checkups.

 

The project was launched in 2015 in cooperation with USAID, which aimed at assisting the Armenian Association of Neonatal Medicine (AANM) in realization of its activities to ensure healthy generation through consistent organization of neonatal services.

 

“It is my great pleasure to celebrate with you the achievements of our four-year collaboration to save newborn lives in Armenia. Our Agency is very proud to be part of this journey, and I want to let you know that people of America by this and other initiatives demonstrate their care towards the bright future of Armenia,”-said Deborah Grieser, USAID Armenia Mission Director.  During the event, participants learned about the improvements of performance of health facilities providing neonatal care services resulted from the updated knowledge and skills of the health personnel, revised neonatal state standards and introduction of Family Centered Neonatal Care in hospitals in regions and Yerevan. “Before we didn't have so many trainings, now we feel closer to the modern medicine.”  - said Hasmik Mughdusyan, neonatologist of Noyemberyan MC. 

 

In an effort to strengthen the family centered care, the project focused on aligning the capacity of the neonatal care system with the public health framework. Above all, the speakers mentioned the importance of mobilization of the stakeholders’ joint efforts to attain meaningful progress towards ending preventable deaths of newborn in Armenia. 

 

Among the important component of the project is the strengthening of the capacities and role of Professional Medical Associations (PMAs). The Consortium of PMAs established in the scope of the project started to work toward the advancing maternal and child health care and delivering effective continuum of care from pregnancy to infancy to ensure better survival and development of children. 

 

The event brought together partners of the AANM including representatives of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia, US Agency for International Development (USAID), Armenian EyeCare Project, different hospitals from all over the country providing neonatal care services and local and international organizations involved in mother and child health care in Armenia.

 

The clinical protocols and neonatal care standards, which have been approved by the Ministry of Health, are shared with neonatal caregivers in all the regions of Armenia, with neonatal care providers already trained to use them.