Rupert Joy participating in the closing ceremony of the "Training in treatment of infant respiratory disorders" programme at the National Perinatal Centre in Tashkent

In order to help reduce infant mortality in Uzbekistan the British Embassy in Uzbekistan has funded the programme of training of trainers in new-born care. The training incorporated a form of Evidence Based Medicine developed in Oxford, and was the latest in a series of trainings provided by HealthProm, a British NGO that has worked in partnership with the Uzbek Ministry of Health since 2003.

16 neonatologists were trained as trainers in respiratory disorders of new-born children. The training was a collaboration with the British Embassy in Uzbekistan, Asian Development Bank and the Uzbek Health Ministry "Women and Child Health Development” project. The Embassy funded all of the training costs for the project; the ADB provided the medical equipment and the Ministry of Health funded the participants’ attendance costs and venue. It is hoped that the training will now be disseminated nation-wide.

The newly appointed British Embassy in Uzbekistan Mr. Rupert Joy participated in the closing ceremony of the "Training of trainers in use of respiratory equipment for new-born care" programme at the National Perinatal Centre on 27 June 2009 in Tashkent. The ceremony was also attended by representatives from the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan, British HealthProm NGO, Asian Development Bank, programme trainers and participants.

British Ambassador, Mr Rupert Joy, said: "The training is a fine example of international co-operation, bringing the highest standards of healthcare to Uzbekistan. I am delighted that one of my first public events on arriving in Uzbekistan is to celebrate completion of yet another successful round of training. The British Embassy funded HealthProm's clinical training of trainers in Essential New-born Care (WHO) in 2006 and 2007 and their first booklet for parents on care of their babies. We were extremely happy to be able to again offer our support to this ongoing project, building on a partnership that dates back to when HealthProm first started its work in Uzbekistan in 1996. On behalf of the British Embassy, I’d like to offer everyone here today our congratulations on completion of the training, and to wish the participants the very best of luck as you begin the work of implementing these new skills in your daily work", said Rupert Joy.