USAID Emergency Medicine Program Receives High Marks
In an effort to shore up its regional social and economic development program, the Government of Azerbaijan is focusing on improving emergency medicine at its hospitals.
The country’s emergency departments, first developed during the Soviet period in response to an increased need for rapid assessment and management of critical illnesses, have not kept pace with current standards. Rather than offering specialized critical care, emergency department staff are often charged with delivering primary care and triage to patients who present with a broad spectrum of illnesses and injuries, only some of which may be life-threatening and require immediate attention.
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| A brand new emergency department in Yevlakh is provided with life-saving equipment that met modern requirements |
In 2004, USAID, HESS, Chevron, and BTC/SCP launched the Emergency Medicine Development Initiative (EMDI) program to provide technical assistance to the Government of Azerbaijan in improving emergency medical services. Since then, the program implementer, International Medical Corps (IMC), has built new programs and reconstructed existing emergency departments at central hospitals throughout the country. Doctors and nurses working in the emergency departments have received specialized training in emergency medicine which enables them to prioritize and treat patients in a timely and appropriate manner. Now, those evaluated with serious illness or injury may receive medical care more rapidly than those with less severe symptoms, improving health outcomes.
In recognition of Health Days in Azerbaijan (Dec. 16 - 31), the Minister of Health, Dr. Ogtay Shiraliyev visited Ganja and Yevlakh hospitals and participated in the inauguration ceremony of both emergency departments. The hospitals received a total of 16 new ambulances and, at Yevlakh Hospital, IMC built a helipad for rapid emergency response. The Minister said he was pleased with EMDI’s efforts to improve regional emergency medical systems in Ganja and Yevlakh.
“Emergency departments have become important entry points for those without other means of access to health care. These departments have been remodeled to a high level and equipped with all the necessary emergency equipment, “said Dr. Shiraliyev. “We will no longer need to send cars from Baku, as [these hospitals] now have the best-equipped new ambulances in the region!”
Following the opening ceremonies, the minister met with the project team and expressed his deep confidence in the facility and staff’s capability to provide effective patient care.
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