VivaCell-MTS continues efforts for reducing infant mortality

PanARMENIAN.Net - VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian, BirthLink NGO Director Kathy Mellor and Dr. Pavel Mazmanyan, the Chief Neonatologist of Armenia, visited neonatal departments in Vedi and Artashat hospitals, Ararat province.

The hospitals were provided with equipment for immediate reanimation and warming of babies, monitoring and management of respiratory problems and equipment for delivering intravenous fluids, in case of premature birth.

This equipment helps maintain the baby’s temperature until transfer to a regional centre or to Yerevan.

“In the long-run, the neonatal care project is aimed at the reduction of infant mortality in Armenia. And as an important step in this direction is improved access to medical services in the regions. All hospitals in the regions and capital Yerevan included in the project have been provided with vital equipment and devices,” VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian commented.

For the sixth year in a row VivaCell-MTS together with BirthLink NGO continues efforts aimed at reducing the level of infant mortality in Armenia. More than AMD 465 million have already been invested by VivaCell-MTS for equipping 34 maternity hospitals throughout Armenia – 12 in Yerevan and 22 in the provinces.

Every year, more than 4 million infants die in the first year of life. 98 percent of the cases are registered in the developing countries. 65 percent of lethal cases are registered within the first month, with two third of them – during the first week, and more than half – within the first 24 hours after the birth. The World Health Organization says the level of infant mortality in Armenia exceeds the level in countries like US and Great Britain for four times.