Friday, January 16 2015 15:03

 VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian and Director of BirthLink Kathy Mellor visited the neonatal department at The Republican Institute of Reproductive Health, Perinatology, Obstetrics & Gynecology in Yerevan. This hospital has been supported by the BirthLink project since 2009. 

More than 3,500 deliveries take place in this hospital, and they receive many women transferred from the regions with complications of pregnancy to enable them to deliver in a referral centre with expertise to receive safe and appropriate care. The neonatal department is one of the busiest in Armenia, receiving more than 650 sick and premature babies a year. This year the hospital was provided with two intensive care cots, for immediate care of these vulnerable babies, together with additional equipment for the management of respiratory difficulties and an ultrasound scanner for monitoring babies brain growth and development in the first weeks after birth. The provided equipment will help support more babies in this department and also help with diagnosis and management.

«There is nothing in our nation that deserves our attention and dedication more than newborn. We should not stay indifferent and leave alone the parents, doctors and the society with the alarming problem of high rate of child mortality as every interrupted life puts a small end in the opportunity of the humanity for better future. And most importantly, we are more than sure that everyone deserves hearing the words "Mom, Dad, I love you», said VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian.

The project with VivaCell-MTS concentrates on the first day of life to ensure each maternity facility has doctors and nurses with the right knowledge and equipment to improve survival of the vulnerable newborn babies. In addition to the equipment being provided, education, training and support for the medical staff continues.

This is now the seventh year of cooperation between "BirthLink" and VivaCell-MTS, to improve the care of sick and premature babies in Armenia, and thereby reduce neonatal mortality. The project commenced in 2008, and till now has supported twelve neonatal departments in Yerevan and twenty-three departments in seven regions of Armenia with about AMD 535 million of support from VivaCell-MTS.

The 'Every Newborn' action plan, led by World Health Organization and UNICEF, believes that nearly 3 million babies and women can be saved each year through investing in quality care around the time of birth and special care for sick and small newborns.

More than 80% of all newborn deaths result from poor preventable and treatable conditions – in particular, those necessary in cases of complications due to prematurity and infections. Improving quality of care around the time of birth will save most lives, but needs healthcare professionals with good knowledge and well equipped facilities to make the difference.                                                                                     VivaCell-MTS (K-Telecom CJSC) is Armenia's leading telecommunications operator, having the

Widest 2G/3.75G/4G network reach and spreading a wide range of Voice and Data services all across Armenia. Having the best of the Armenian people interest at heart since its launch on 1st July 2005 and in a short period of time VivaCell-MTS has managed to build a nationwide network and a considerable customer base. VivaCell-MTS drives innovation and aims at always being at the forefront of any development serving the Armenian mobile communications market.  The company follows the guidance provided by ISO 26000 (International Standard of Social Responsibility). For more information, visit www.mts.am

Mobile TeleSystems OJSC ("MTS") is the leading telecommunications group in Russia and the CIS, offering mobile and fixed voice, broadband, pay TV as well as content and entertainment services in one of the world's fastest growing regions. Including its subsidiaries, the Group services over 100 million mobile subscribers. The Group has been awarded GSM licenses in Russia, Ukraine, Turkmenistan, Armenia and Belarus, a region that boasts a total population of more than 200 million. Since June 2000, MTS' Level 3 ADRs have been listed on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol MBT). Additional information about the MTS Group can be found at www.mtsgsm.com