USAID Boosts Emergency Care in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, one of the most oil-rich countries in the world, has recently experienced a lot of positive changes in social sector development. However, in other sectors there is still an urgent need for reform and rehabilitation.
In the health sector, USAID designed its Emergency Medicine Development Initiative (EMDI) to provide collaborative, technical assistance through its implementing partner, International Medical Corps, to the Government of Azerbaijan to strengthen the delivery of pre-hospital and in-hospital emergency medical services within the broad parameters of the country’s healthcare system.
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| Dr. Shahmaliyev improves his chest compression technique |
In July, Dr. Oktay Shahmaliyev, Emergency Medicine Specialist and Monitor, working under the EMDI project, visited Baltimore, Maryland to learn about structural organization and administrative procedures of emergency medical services. Made possible through the emergency medicine project, clinical training on modern emergency medicine was provided to Shahmaliyev by acclaimed US health institutions.
“I was very happy for the chance to travel to U.S. for this training. Before I’d heard much about modern emergency medicine systems and read lots of related literature. I used to believe that my knowledge was enough to understand the system. But I was struck by what I saw with my own eyes and even became part of it,” says Shahmaliyev.
In fact, Shahmaliyev worked as a physician assistant along with resident physicians at Johns Hopkins University Hospital.
“This practical experience very much helped me to understand the structure and work principles of the emergency department,” he explains.
During his training, Shahmaliyev successfully completed certified courses on Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Advanced Trauma Life Support according to the standards established by the ACS Committee on Trauma and the American Trauma Association. These courses satisfy requirements of the American Heart Association and the American Trauma Association.
“Quality of emergency medical services does not only depend on medical equipment and supply but also on the theoretic and practical skills,” says Shahmaliyev.
Back in Azerbaijan, he is very enthusiastic about sharing his experience with a national team of master trainers established under the EMDI, imparting techniques and knowledge obtained in the US—and applying methods he practiced himself.
“I have remarkably improved my emergency medicine knowledge and skills. But it’s not the only successful outcome of my trip to U.S. In addition, through these training courses, I got familiar with methods of how these acclaimed trainings were organized and conducted. I’m checking possibilities to apply these methods in Azerbaijan. Existing emergency services do not meet either international standards or population needs. Through USAID, we are working to rebuild this system. I’m sure training I received in the US will help me contribute to the successful project implementation,” concluded Dr. Oktay Shahmaliyev.
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