Improved Health of Pregnant Women and Newborn Babies Conference

Kosovo's doctors and nurses spent two days reviewing practices and planning future actions to help promote healthier babies and mothers. The conference, "Improving Outcomes of Pregnancy: A Perinatal Medicine Continuing Education Conference," brought together 530 medical professionals on September 20 - 21 in Pristina, to study techniques to improve the survival of premature babies and to help ensure healthy pregnancies and births. Dr. Michael Farbman, USAID/Kosovo Mission Director joined Dr. Fadil Kryeziu, Deputy Minister of Health, in opening the conference.

The conference was led by faculty and staff from the Dartmouth Medical School and the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center of Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA in conjunction with lecturers from the University of Prishtine Clinical Center who have trained in the USA as part of the Alliance project. Supported by USAID's Alliance for Healthy Newborns project, the conference provided lectures on the latest evidence-based methods for caring for women during normal and complicated pregnancies and caring for newborn babies - especially premature babies. The conference was designed to further develop the capacity and collaboration of the regional hospital system, and present US and Kosovar partners with information on Alliance project results to date. Key successes of the project have been the provision of antenatal care to nearly 1,000 women in Family Medicine centers, and improvements in neonatal intensive care techniques such as the use of CPAP respiratory support and administration of the medication surfactant which have resulted in increased survival for premature babies.

The Alliance for Healthy Newborns is an 18-month program designed to assist in improving the care of pregnant women and newborns by working at the community (family medicine) and hospital levels across Kosovo. The project brings together public and private sector partners to address the priority health needs of maternal and infant survival. The project is led by Dartmouth Medical School, with partners AmeriCares Foundation of the U.S., the Kosovo Ministry of Health, the University of Prishtine Clinical Center, the Center for the Development of Family Medicine and Family Medicine Centers in six municipalities.

Improving Care for Victims of Trafficking

Seventy two employees of seven shelters have completed a professional certification program aimed at improving the quality of services to victims of trafficking. The professionals, who were recognized at a ceremony on December 12th, participated in courses including "Comprehensive Professional Counseling", "Examination and Evaluation of Mental Health", "Stress and Trauma Management", and "Burnout Syndrome and Psychological Debriefing".

The effort is part of the Partnership against Trafficking in Human Beings (PATH) project, in cooperation with the Kosovo Anti-Trafficking Coordinator and Secretariat from the Office of Prime Minister/Advisory Office for Good Governance.

PATH is a two-year project supported by USAID and implemented by Catholic Relief Services.

New Community Center Opens in Partesh/Partes

A new Community Center and Playground opened on October 15 in Partesh/Partes [Gjilan/Gnjilane Municipality], the result of extensive cooperation between US Kosovo Forces, the Partesh/Partes community and USAID. The project is part of the U.S. Government's continuous efforts to address immediate community concerns throughout Kosovo. Tina Kaidanow, Chief of Mission of the U.S. Office in Pristina, and Gen. B.G. Douglas Earhart congratulated Partesh/Partes' council for their cooperation and commitment to improve their community. The wider community of Partesh/Partes was closely involved in developing the project, both in concept design and construction. The project also provided part-time and full-time employment for almost 30 local people working for a local contractor. US KFOR provided $164,000 for the construction of the premises and USAID provided $50,000 worth of computers, language lab equipment and training.

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