Activities in Tajikistan

The Republic of Tajikistan has some of the highest child mortality rates in Central Asia: an infant mortality rate of 89 for every thousand, an under-five mortality rate of 118 for every thousand and a maternal mortality rate of 120 for every 100 thousand (source: Tajikistan’s National Development Strategy or NDS). Naturally, the health care system is one of seven key areas of improvement in the NDS for 2007 to 2015. The four priority goals within health care are reducing these three mortality rates as well as improving the inoculation rate of infants under one year old. This project focuses on Khatlon Province, an area composed of 24 districts in which there are four large cities, with a population of 2.5 million (source: Bureau of Statistics, January 2007). Of the four administrative regions of Tajikistan, Khatlon was the most affected by the civil war.

The objective of this project is to achieve the Millennium Development Goals of reducing infant mortality and improving maternal health in Tajikistan. For that, we will assist to create communities based on primary health care principles to heighten knowledge and awareness of health, sanitation and prevention especially among fathers and mothers. The goals are to:

1. Provide trainings to improve participants’ understanding, knowledge and expertise with regard to maternal and child health needs,
2. Ensure trainees to fully master the practical expertise needed for maternal and child health care, and
3. Foster trainees who can spread their trainings in maternal and child health care activities to medical and health care center personnel.

“Project formulation investigation group for maternal and child health” was sent to Tajikistan in March 2005 and reported the following health problems:

1. The supply of safe drinking water and power is difficult in rural villages,
2. Many pregnant women and nursing mothers do not have access to proper health care services,
3. Women and children are malnourished, and
4. There is inadequate awareness of health and sanitation issues in many regions and homes.

Based on this, the JICA Hokuriku Branch Office gained cooperation of Ishikawa Prefectural Nursing University to provide trainings in Japan for the six local specialists. Two doctors and nurses from each of the three central hospitals serving Khatlon’s many districts were sent to Japan from 2005 to 2007 under the Mother and Child Support Project. This training is consisted of the following:

• Preparation: drafting country reports
• In-Japan Trainings: workshops, lectures, practical trainings, drafting action plans
• Activities after Trainings: briefings, establishing a system for action plan and implementation

JICA will jointly monitor the status of implemented action plans with the government of Tajikistan, and when necessary, provide equipment and supplies.