An official agreement between the Government of Uzbekistan (GoU), the European Commission (EC) and UNICEF aims to improve staff skills during emergency care, childbirth, newborn and childcare in maternity wards, polyclinics and primary healthcare facilities across the nation.

The challenge is to ensure children have access to a continuum of health care, backed by strong national health systems.

Mr. Mahboob Shareef, UNICEF Representative, said, “Mothers, the newborn and children represent the well being of society and meeting their needs is best investment for the prosperous future of the whole of society. Very soon many more of Uzbekistan’s children will be offered the safe start in life that every child needs and deserves’”.

Speaking at a press launch, which took place at the international business centre in Tashkent, Mr. Feruz Nazirov the Minister of Health confirmed the ministry’s firm commitment to achieving the objectives of the project. “As a result of the project, more then 8,000 medical workers will be trained across the country, which will lead to subsequent improvement of mother and child care in every province of the country,” said Nazirov.

Also speaking at the press launch, Mr. Hugues Pernet, the Ambassador of France to Uzbekistan, highlighted the partners’ appreciation of the ministry’s leadership in developing and launching the Mother and Child project. “The EC is delighted to be part of this groundbreaking program, with many thousands of mothers and children set to directly benefit. This is fully in-line with our developing relationship with Uzbekistan and it highlights our firm commitment to development in this country and the Central Asian region,” said Hugues Pernet.

The project, has a budget of almost US$6 million, with the EC providing US$5.5 million and UNICEF US$450,000.