Programme for visit in Tajikistan
HRH The Crown Princess visits Tajikistan from 23-24 October 2014 in her role as patron of the WHO Regional Office for Europe.
The visit will focus on the improvement of mothers’ and children’s health and the importance of vaccination for public health. In the capital Dushanbe, The Crown Princess gets, among other things, the opportunity to visit health clinics, education and training facilities for health personnel and a rehabilitation centre for children and young people stricken with polio. In addition to that, The Crown Princess takes part in a vaccination day for children and youth at a health centre in the small town of Varzob. During the visit, The Crown Princess in addition speaks at a health forum at Tajik State Medical University. The programme also includes a visit at the national reproductive centre, which offers family planning services, and at the National Taekwon-do Federation, which has engaged the athletes in combating violence against women.
The Crown Princess became the patron of the WHO Regional Office for Europe in 2005.
WHO has been represented in Tajikistan since 1992 to assist in promoting the health system. The country has experienced progress in the area of health; the mortality rate for newborns has fallen from 56 per thousand inhabitants in 1998 to 34 per thousand inhabitants in 2012. Also, the total numbers of deaths among children under 5 years and among mothers have fallen. Despite the progress, the numbers are still higher than the average for the 53 countries in WHO’s European region. WHO collaborates with the public authorities in Tajikistan to develop and implement health policy, including a National Health Strategy, which has the objective of promoting health among children and adults.
The organization also gives support to the Republican Centre of Immunoprophylaxis, which is in charge of the country’s vaccine programmes. In 2014, the WHO assists, among other things, in the work of offering polio vaccines to children aged 0-5 years old. In 2010, the country experienced the biggest outbreak of polio in five years, which resulted in, among other things, physical handicaps among children who were stricken with the disease. In connection with the children’s need for rehabilitation, the WHO has, together with the country’s government, started rehabilitation programmes, among other things organizing camps where children affected by the polio outbreak can get help.
Thursday, 23 October
Visit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
13.40
HRH The Crown Princess pays a visit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is briefed about the work that the WHO Regional Office for Europe carries out. The Crown Princess gets the opportunity to meet the foreign minister and government officials.
Visit at paediatric hospital and resource centre
14.30
The Crown Princess visits a paediatric hospital and resource centre and gets the opportunity to greet health workers as well as parents and children who use the place. The visit focuses on the WHO’s regional work on health among women and children, with special reference to vaccination.
Chorbogh Child Rehabilitation Centre
16.30
The Crown Princess visits the centre, where children stricken with polio are offered rehabilitation. The Crown Princess witnesses how the rehabilitation takes place and meets the affected children and families as well as the centre’s health workers.
Official dinner
19.40
Official dinner with Tajikistan’s minister of health and social protection as host.
Avicenna Tajik State Medical University
09.40
The Crown Princess visits Avicenna Tajik State Medical University and is shown around the university. During the visit, The Crown Princess greets the students, who will tell about their work with, among other things, health campaigns focused on mothers’ and children’s health and vaccination. In continuation of this, The Crown Princess takes part in a forum dealing with health, where professors and students at the university are on hand. The Crown Princess gives a speech, just as there will also be speeches by, among others, the director of WHO’s European region, Ms. Zsuzanna Jakab, dealing with the organization’s work in Tajikistan and the importance of research on health.
Varzob Health Centre
11.30
The Crown Princess pays a visit at the health centre, where a vaccination day is launched. The Crown Princess observes the work with vaccination and gets the opportunity to meet representatives from the hospital and health workers as well as parents and their children.
National Reproductive Health Centre
14.00
The Crown Princess visits the centre and is introduced to its family planning offers to women of reproductive age. During the visit, The Crown Princess meets the centre’s health workers and local female users.
National Taekwon-do Federation
15.30
The Crown Princess visits the national tækwon-do federation, which has started initiatives to stop violence against women. During the visit, information will be shared about the challenges in Tajikistan and various undertakings for educating about prevention of violence and about reproductive health.
Reception
19.30
The Crown Princess participates in WHO’s reception.
