UNICEF delegation visiting Zahedan health centers and hospital to scale up neonatal health in Sistan and Balouchestan Province, March 2024
Ms. Monika O. NIELSEN, Deputy Representative Programmes, UNICEF Iran, Ms. Shirley Mark Prabhu, Regional Adolescent Health and HIV Specialist at UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office, and Dr. Gagan Gupta, Senior Adviser and lead for the Maternal and Newborn Health team at UNICEF headquarters in New York, visited healthcare centers in Zahedan as senior representatives of UNICEF.
Report from: Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, International Affairs Office
Published on: 12 March 2024
Ms. Monika O. NIELSEN, Deputy Representative Programmes, UNICEF Iran, Ms. Shirley Mark Prabhu, Regional Adolescent Health and HIV Specialist at UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office, and Dr. Gagan Gupta, Senior Adviser and lead for the Maternal and Newborn Health team at UNICEF headquarters in New York, visited healthcare centers in Zahedan as senior representatives of UNICEF.
During their visit to the Aale Ahmad Health House in Haji Pugi village in Zahedan, the UNICEF representatives evaluated the effective services and care provided by the health teams in improving the health of pregnant women and newborns at this center.
Dr. Fariborz Rashedi, the Head of Zahedan District Health Center, expressed during the UNICEF representatives' visit to the Aale Ahmad Health House in Haji Pugi village e in Zahedan that 82 live births have been recorded at this center since the beginning of this year, out of which 80 deliveries were performed in hospitals and delivery facilities. He also stated that services such as physician visits, midwifery, health care, vaccination, family planning, etc., are provided at this center. The health house covers a population of 2,495 individuals.
Dr. Khodadad Sheikhzadeh, the Technical Deputy of Vice Chancellor for Health at ZAUMS, also stated during the visit to the Saadat Comprehensive Urban and Rural Health Services Center in outskirts of Zahedan, one of the main focuses of healthcare services is providing appropriate care to mothers during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum.
He further added that currently, there are 4 urban delivery facilities and 32 rural delivery facilities in Zahedan, and from the beginning of this year until now, 2700 deliveries have been performed in Zahedan delivery facilities.
During the visit, Dr. Gagan Gupta, Senior Adviser and Team Lead, Maternal and Newborn Health at UNICEF, expressed that good postpartum support has a significant impact on the physical and mental health of pregnant women, and the best time for postpartum care is within the first 24 hours of delivery. He stated: “Fortunately, the referral system is functioning well in Zahedan healthcare centers”.
Dr. Momeni, the Vice Chancellor for Treatment Affairs at ZAUMS, also mentioned during the visit of UNICEF representatives to Ali ibn Abitalib Hospital: 30 babies are born daily at Ali ibn Abitalib Hospital in Zahedan, and there are 28 active NICU beds in this hospital. These beds are equipped with all level three neonatal care equipment, including ventilators, cardiac and respiratory monitors, IV pumps, syringe pumps, CPAP machines, incubators, suction devices, and central oxygen supply.
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