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The partnership between VivaCell-MTS and BirthLink is now in its eighth year, aimed at reducing neonatal mortality and morbidity, through supporting the care of sick and premature babies in Armenia. Since the start of the project, forty-three hospitals in Yerevan and the regions have been supported through about AMD 600 million of funding from VivaCell-MTS., according to the press service of VivaCell-MTS Company.
 
The emphasis throughout this project has been on improving facilities and equipment, together with updating knowledge and further education, for immediate care of the sick and vulnerable baby at birth, based on the best evidence available.

Following the 2000 Millennium Development Goal to reduce child mortality by 2015, WHO states there is an unfinished agenda for Women and Children’s health, with newborn deaths still accounting for 44% of under five deaths globally. Cost-effective solutions are now available to protect women and children from the most dangerous day of their lives – the day of birth. This is why the joint project implemented by VivaCell-MTS and Birthlink targets this most vulnerable time. 80% of newborn deaths are from preventable and treatable conditions; therefore all health professionals have a responsibility for contributing to achieving these targets. 

For two days VivaCell-MTS will host neonatologists from maternity hospitals of the regions and Yerevan who will participate and receive training in this vital program, targeted at quality improvement, national standards of care, benchmarking and understanding mortality and morbidity. At the seminar a new Neonatal Database program to monitor all babies requiring intensive care after birth, will be introduced.

VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian together with Chief Neonatologist of Armenia Pavel Mazmanyan and the Director of BirthLink Kathy Mellor welcomed the neonatologists at the beginning of the seminar.

“Healthy child is the axis of a family, and the family is the guarantee of a strong society. And, in its turn, the sustainable society is a precondition for any country's development and progress. We want to struggle for the life of every child born in Armenia, we want those children to not only bring happiness to their parents, but also to become healthy and valuable individuals, citizens of our country. VivaCell-MTS and “BirthLink” NGO stand next to each other in this struggle, helping Armenian doctors, providing them with necessary equipment, and, why not, also psychological support for making their tough, but invaluable work more effective”, commented VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian.

“BirthLink’s partnership with VivaCell-MTS to improve the care of newborns is now in its eighth year. The rate of neonatal mortality in Armenia is falling, and the introduction of our new database program is a vital step forward to further reduce newborn deaths,” the Director of “BirthLink” Kathy Mellor stated.