The ChildCA project partners met in Dushanbe on 25-27 October 2021 to formalize new specialization programs in Pediatrics, Pediatric Surgery and Neuropsychiatry; it was essential to meet with local authorities (Ministries of Education and Health) to obtain authorization for the implementation of these university curricula in partner universities. The revision, modernization and internationalization of university training courses is fundamental to create more professional figures in pediatric care, with the final aim of improving the negative trend of infant mortality in partner countries in Central Asia.
During the meeting partners presented their updated curricula that included three years of general studies and a year of specialization in: Pediatrics, Pediatric Surgery, and Neuropsychiatry.
The collaboration among Uzbek, Kazakh, and Tajik partners, together with the European partners, was instrumental to ensure fruitful discussions and achieve the meeting goals. Due to the Covid-19 emergency, a blended participation modality was set up, to guarantee proper participation and representation of all the project countries.
The meeting was attended by the Representatives of the Uzbek and Kazakh Ministries of Health, representing an extremely valuable asset for the ChildCA Project, which could count on the proper official ministries’ representation in all the three CA partners.
The reception of the project by Tajik local authorities was rather positive, which highlighted the willingness to facilitate the gradual implementation of structural reforms proposed by the ChildCA partners.
