BEFORE: This child, born in Kyzylorda, weighed only 700 grams (24.69 ounces) when she was born in 2009. USAID supported the introduction of WHO live birth criteria and helped train neonatal intensive care units. Under the old criteria, newborns less than 1,000 grams were considered dead. Thanks to these new birth standards and USAID’s neonatal training, this child was given a chance at life.
AFTER: Since USAID assisted the Kyzylorda Health Department, survival rates for premature babies have improved by 14 percent.