The USAID Reviews the Results of 10-years of health projects under the name “ZdravPlus”

PAS No 259 
October 09, 2009

MOHMIT and International organizations participate at USAID ZdravPlus Close out meeting

Ashgabat, October 9, 2009 – Today, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is celebrating completion of its ZdravPlus project in Turkmenistan.  USAID ran two sequential parts of the ZdravPlus project in the country – ZdravPlus I in 2000-2005 and ZdravPlus II in 2005-2010.  During these 10 years, the project worked to introduce the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses strategy, support the National Safe Motherhood Program, as well as numerous efforts related to health sector finance reforms.  The USAID project implemented activities in 14 districts throughout Turkmenistan.

“We want to thank the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry and our other partners for the many meaningful results we have achieved under this project,” says Ashley Moretz, USAID’s representative officer for Turkmenistan. 

 

USAID Health Manager, Elena Samarkina gives a presentation on "Perspectives of USAID and MOHMIT on future cooperation".

USAID is planning to continue its assistance to the Safe Motherhood program in Turkmenistan through a new project that will begin at the end of 2009 and continue to build on the partnerships formed by ZdravPlus.

FACTSHEET:

• USAID trained 2,000 family physicians, nurses, and hospital pediatricians in a World Health Organization (WHO) methodology called “Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses” (IMCI) - aimed at reducing mortality and morbidity among children.
• In 2006, the project helped introduce the IMCI program to the medical school curricula.  Over 400 young specialists have already begun their work with knowledge of IMCI and many more are educated daily. 
• USAID assisted Turkmenistan to develop its National Safe Motherhood program aimed at decreasing maternal and child mortality.  USAID trained nearly 1,400 Turkmen obstetrician-gynecologists, neonatologists, midwives, family physicians, and nurses.  The project also worked to enhance the quality of antenatal and maternity care, as well as increase access to health-related information and services. 
• The ZdravPlus project worked with the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan to introduce the Health Information System program for the processing and storage of health statistics as well as hospital financial management.  Some 130 Turkmen statisticians were trained to operate this program, which enabled the Ministry to record and analyze hospital information efficiently. 
• USAID trained 1200 Turkmen health specialists in laboratory operations. 
• More than 65,000 women with children under age five took part in USAID-sponsored Keeping Children Healthy campaigns.  These campaigns taught women the basics of health care, nutrition, and hygiene for their children, as well as informed how to recognize when a child needs qualified medical attention.