Photo: John Snow Inc.
A Russian girl meets her newborn brother as part of Velikiy Novgorod hospital’s family centered maternity care program.
“I have been practicing [medicine] for 22 years already, but the USAID project changed my life completely… I cannot understand why I practiced in that old way.”
- Manzhai V.N., Chief physician,
Berezniki Maternity Hospital
|
Initiative
USAID sponsored Women and Infant Health (WIN), initially introduced in twenty hospitals throughout Russian regions, to improve maternal and child care by counseling patients, training staff, and involving the family and larger community.
The WIN program introduces evidence-based and client-centered practices through trained staff in hospitals and clinics. For maximum success, the program targeted three groups – mothers, doctors and hospital administrators.
The program provided mothers with counseling on breast feeding and modern family planning methods. Doctors were introduced to successful Russian-based medical procedures and encouraged to share information through peer to peer training. Hospital administrators learned that using fewer, more efficient drugs and reducing formula consumption could result in significant budget savings.
|