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As part of the VivaCell-MTS and BirthLink joint project, VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian and the Deputy Head of the Institute of Perinatology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Arshak Djerdjerian visited the maternity hospital in Abovyan, the press service of VivaCell-MTS reported.

This hospital has received equipment for immediate reanimation and warming of sick and small babies, nasal high flow therapy for newborns with breathing difficulties, respiratory monitoring, management of jaundice and the provision of intravenous fluids. The equipment will help support sick and low birth weight babies after delivery, with provision to stabilize babies before transfer to Yerevan if necessary, but also enable the hospital to care for some babies without the need to transfer, therefore staying close to their mothers.

“It’s the seventh year already since we started implementing this nationwide neonatal project, and the implementation has shown that there is a certain decrease in infant mortality rates. Hand in hand with BirthLink we have managed to provide equipment to maternity hospitals in various regions and Yerevan, as well as organized professional trainings for medical specialists in their efforts to fight different complications and diseases and to save the lives of infants. This is a really important intervention. We can’t stay only as passive observers while the lives of many newborn are at risk,” VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian said.

The project with VivaCell-MTS concentrates on the first day of life, to ensure each maternity facility has doctors and nurses with the right knowledge and equipment to improve survival of the vulnerable newborn babies. In addition to the equipment being provided, education, training and support for the medical staff continues.

This is now the seventh year of co-operation between BirthLink and VivaCell-MTS, to improve the care of sick and premature babies in Armenia, and thereby reduce neonatal mortality. The project commenced in 2008, and until now has supported twelve neonatal departments in Yerevan and twenty-three departments in seven regions of Armenia with about AMD 535 million of support from VivaCell-MTS.

The ‘Every Newborn’ action plan, led by WHO and UNICEF, believes that nearly 3 million babies and women can be saved each year through investing in quality care around the time of birth and special care for sick and small newborns.

More than 80% of all newborn deaths result from preventable and treatable conditions – in particular complications due to prematurity and infections. Improving quality of care around the time of birth will save most lives, but needs healthcare professionals with good knowledge and well equipped facilities to make the difference.