Zahedan University of Medical Sciences

Report from: Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, International Affairs Office

Published on: 27 July 2023

Ms. Mable Ng’andu, deputy representative for operation, Ms. Zahra Majdfar, Health and Nutrition Officer and Ms. Jeiran Sanavi Kordestani, monitoring focal point from UNICEF country Office Health team paid a field visit to Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, on 25-26 July 2023.

At the start of the field visit of the UNICEF Health Team to Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, a briefing session was held with presence of the Vice Chancellors for Health & Treatment Affairs and Head of Neonatal Ward and other relevant ZAUMS managers and experts, chaired by the Advisor to the Chancellor for the International Affairs.

In this meeting, Dr. Mohammad Heydarzadeh , a neonatal sub-specialist and Head of Neonatal ward at Ali Ibne Abitalib  (AS) Tertiary care hospital in Zahedan addressed the meeting on the latest achievement made by ZAUMS in reducing neonatal mortality rate and the remaining challenges that need to be addressed. Dr. Heydazadeh stated that: “Sistan and Baluchistan has been able to be a leader in reducing infant mortality in the country by carrying out some interventions.”

He continued: “During the past two years we have been able to reduce the infant mortality rate from 13.7 to 11.7 neonatal deaths per 1000 live births, and the ranking of the ZAUMS in terms of the IMR improved so that we are no longer the university with the highest rate of IMR”.

Dr. Heydazadeh highlighted a significant decrease in the percentage neonatal mortality in newborn babies admitted to Ali Ibne Abitalib (AS) Tertiary care hospital from 55% to 26% from 2018 to 2022. This figure is lower that average national figure of 28%. He mentioned that this decrease was partly related to interventions such as conducting HSB and HBB workshops for midwives, procurement of NCPAP by UNICEF and establishment of Breast Milk Bank at the hospital.

He said: “This achievement should be further advanced by implementing more interventions such as planning more and holding training courses in the fields of Helping Babies Breath program, improving quality of respiratory care for newborn babies, building birthing facilities, transferring babies who need specialized services to the hospital by a specialized team”.  He added: “Fortunately, in recent years, UNICEF has provided good support to neonatal health programs in Sistan and Balouchestan Province, which deserves recognition”.

In this meeting, the Vice Chancellor for Treatment Affairs also stated that the performance indicators of the University of Medical Sciences are improving in all areas and said: “The University’s efforts have been in the direction of improving infrastructure development, and recruiting experienced human resources”.

Dr. Ali Khajeh said: “Fortunately, with the construction and development of maternity wards in university hospitals, the presence of obstetrics and gynecology specialists, and the development of intensive care beds for newborns, we have witnessed a decrease in the death rate of newborns”.

The Vice Chancellor for Health also stated that: “Sistan and Baluchistan Province has the first place in the country for the birth of children and said: Considering the extent and spread of Sistan and Baluchistan Province, we are among the few provinces in the country that has birthing facilities in addition to maternity hospitals”.

Dr. Mehdi Zanganeh continued: “There are 15 Delivery Facilities affiliated with Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, especially in the areas that are far from the hospital. Out of a total of annual 44,000 births that occur in the areas covered by the ZAUMS, 6,000 take place in birthing facilities”.

Dr. Khodadad Sheikhzadeh, Technical Deputy for Vice Chancellor for Health at ZAUMS, reported on the latest achievements of the vaccination program in ZAUMS .He stated that: “Although the polio has been not eradicated in Afghanistan and Pakistan and a huge cross border population movement takes place between Iran and those countries, the last imported cases in ZAUMS were reported in 2000, and Iran has been polio free for more than 20 years”. He emphasized:  “Every year two rounds of Polio Vaccination Campaign are carried out by ZAUMS with a target population of more than 175000 Iranian and 31000 non-Iranian children less than 5 years of age”.

He continued: “Due to the occurrence of multiple outbreaks of measles in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and due to the cross border population movement, measles vaccination campaigns has been carried out in the response to detection of measles cases in the province. The latest measles vaccination campaign was conducted in December 2022, and more than 65000 children 9months to 15 years received MMR vaccines”.

He acknowledged the procurement of cold chain equipment by UNICEF country office including: “refrigerators, cold boxes and vaccine carriers and emphasized on the need of support from UNICEF to improve the cold chain for vaccination in the areas covered by ZAUMS. He also highlighted the need to empower parents and employees, train new recruits and other employed healthcare workers regarding neonatal care, and procurement of standard equipment for breastfeeding consultation rooms.”

In this meeting, Ms. Mable Ng’andu, deputy representative for operation of UNICEF announced the organization's readiness to cooperate in the newborn health project and said: UNICEF is ready to cooperate in a 5-year Essential Health Care plan developed by UNICEF country office to improve the health of newborn babies, infants and children in Sistan and Baluchistan Province”

Ms. Zahra Majdfar, Health and Nutrition Officer of UNICEF in Iran, also said: “only 25% of health is related to health and treatment system, and 75% is related to other organizations and agencies”. Ms. Majdfar continued: “The 2 percent decrease in infant mortality in Sistan and Baluchistan Province is a result of the efforts and the interventions implemented in the Zahedan University that were planned and carried by Dr. Heydarzadeh and relevant authorities and healthcare workers. She expressed her hope that with joint cooperation in the field of infant and child health, this province will become a role model for others in the country and the region.

At the end of the meeting, the following areas were recommended by ZAUMS technical team for future support from UNICEF country office in coordination with the Ministry of Health of the Islamic Republic of Iran:

 Technical and financial support for Improving the implementation of “The neonatal care in the first hour of life program” (training, equipment…..)

• Procurement of type C ambulances & 4 infant transport incubators for transporting sick newborn babies between hospitals
• Technical and financial support for improving the implementation of community-initiated Kangaroo Mother Care (CKMC)
• Technical and financial support for the empowerment program for employees and parents regarding the care of term and premature babies in public health units
• Procurement of cold chain monitoring equipment in the health centers affiliated with ZAUMS and establishing cold rooms in Sib & Suran District Health Center
• Procurement of equipment for breastfeeding consultation rooms

The UNICEF Country Office Team visited Shahdi Bagheri & Imam Reza (AS) Health Centers located in outskirts of Zahedan for monitoring some of procured cold chain equipment.

On the second day of the field visit, the UNICEF Country Office Health Team visited the ZAUMS Reference Laboratory that has received a QIAstat real-time PCR machine, Ali Ibne Abitalib (AS) Hospital NICU for monitoring 4 NCPAP machines donated by UNICEF, and Milk Bank program.

It is worth mentioning that a total of 240 refrigerators with a variety of capacities, 12 cold boxes and 25 vaccine carriers, and 14 NCPAP machines have been donated by  UNICEF country office to ZAUMS.

Copyright © 2023 Zahedan University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved. Date updated: 27/07/2023
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