15 APRIL 2015

PHRC held its regular interagency meeting

On April 15, 2015 the Public Health and Reforms Center of the Ministry of Health (PHRC) held its regular interagency meeting. Representatives of PHRC, Research Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Center for AIDS Prevention, Secretariat of the Country Coordinating Commission of the Ministry of Health, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), United Aid for Azerbaijan (UAFA), “Caspian Compassion” Health Project and "BUTA" Children's Humanitarian Foundation participate at the meeting.

PHRC Deputy Director Rahib Mammadov informed the participants about activities implemented in April. ‘The purpose of the “World Autism Awareness Month" campaign was to raise awareness of the general population about autism and help improve the quality of life of people with autism’, he said. Another activity - Youth Health Festival under the slogan of "Physical activity: The key to your health!" also aroused a great interest of public. The Festival was held with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sport of Azerbaijan Republic, Khazar District Executive Power, "Sport for Development" Public Union and PHRC, and aimed at promotion of physical activity and healthier lifestyle among youth and school children.

R.Mammadov also provided details on the educational campaign run on "April 7 - World Health Day": ‘the campaign was designed to inform public about food safety. Throughout the campaign "5 keys to Safer Food" promotional video, translated and adopted into Azerbaijani by PHRC, was aired and relevant printed materials were distributed’. In addition, he pointed out that the Ministry of Health had approved a new AIDS clinical protocol.

United Aid for Azerbaijan (UAFA) Manager, Zuleyha Najafova, informed about the range of work undertaken by residential treatment centers. She also spoke about the trainings on social work held by invited experts from France, adding that ‘"Joy" Development Center professionals will deliver training for physicians and parents of children with neurological disorders.’

UNICEF's Youth and Adolescent Development specialist, Natig Umarov said that the results of the National Nutrition Survey conducted by UNICEF and the Ministry of Health of Azerbaijan have already been released, ‘the survey goal was to investigate the current intake of micronutrients in mothers and children’. He also noted trainings on early child development had been held by the experts invited from Ankara.

Afaq Novruzova, Technical Coordinator of the Country Coordinating Commission Secretariat of the Ministry of Health, said the proposal on tuberculosis project had been developed and would be submitted to the Global Fund.

Natig Zulfugarov, head of the Monitoring and Evaluation Development of the Center for AIDS Prevention said a new report on HIV was drawn up and submitted to the UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV / AIDS). He also mentioned a series of events was scheduled to celebrate World Remembrance Day of AIDS Victims.

Steve Stonehouse, “Caspian Compassion” Health Project Consultant, noted that following the agreements with other organizations they continue conduct screening on eye diseases across the country.

Chairperson of "BUTA" Children's Humanitarian Foundation, Nazim Ibadov explained the organization’s mission which is to address the challenges displaced and refugee children and orphans face. ‘As part of the project aimed at provision of better psychosocial rehabilitation services for displaced children special interest groups have been formed to monitor and evaluate orphanages and study the psychological attitudes of their teachers’, he added.

At the conclusion of the meeting the participants exchanged their ideas on the presentation.