11.04.2024

The First International Congress of Obstetric Specialists “Ayaly Alakan” is held in Astana on April 11-12. The purpose of the event is to improve the work of the obstetric service and increase the role of obstetricians in public healthcare of Kazakhstan. The Congress was organized by AYALA Charity Foundation at the initiative of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan with the support of the World Health Organization, the Nazarbayev University School of Medicine, and the University Medical Center Corporate Foundation. The event was attended by more than 250 medical workers from eight countries: Kazakhstan, Sweden, Australia, Latvia, Belarus, Lithuania, Russia, and Kyrgyzstan.

Obstetrics is a key component for survival, health and well-being of women, babies and families in all countries. It is no coincidence that significant role of midwives is emphasized in six of 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals: they contribute to health and well-being, address maternal and child nutrition issues, contribute to empowerment of women and girls, to creation and maintenance of public institutions, and capacity building all over the world.

“Midwives play a critical role in strengthening health, preventing diseases, treating and caring for mothers and children. According to the WHO’s estimates, nurses and midwives make up almost a half of the total number of health workers worldwide. It is important to promote their leadership qualities and empower them so that they can achieve equal and decent working conditions through vocational training programs,” Skender Syla, Representative of the WHO Country Office in Kazakhstan, noted.

For Kazakhstan, further development of obstetric practice is associated with addressing many pressing problems, including reducing the level of maternal and infant mortality. Therefore, the First International Congress raises current issues such as discussion of models of obstetric services from rural to urban areas using the example of the EU countries, the influence of obstetricians on diagnosis of the fetus condition during pregnancy and childbirth, the role of obstetricians in management of perinatal losses, the impact on infection control in maternity obstetric service organizations, and other important professional issues.

The Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan Akmaral Sharipbaevna Alnazarova emphasized in her welcoming speech to the Congress participants,

“For further strengthening midwifery care system, investment in education and training, decent pay, and the opportunity to work in a safe, supportive and respectful environment is needed. It’s time to act – to invest in training midwives and ensure that every woman could have access to care and support she needs during one of the most important periods of her life. The quality of training of midwifery personnel directly determines whether they have the knowledge, skills and competencies necessary for provision of safe and efficient care to women and newborns during childbirth. As you know, a successful outcome of pregnancy and childbirth depends on the expertise, knowledge and professional skills of midwives. Investments in obstetric care allow us taking another step towards creating a world where every pregnancy is wanted and every birth is safe!”

Dr. Massimo Pignatelli, Vice President and Dean of the Nazarbayev University School of Medicine, added: “The International Congress of Obstetricians is a significant step towards integration of global best practices and local needs. The Nazarbayev University School of Medicine is proud to cooperate in creating an environment where obstetrics professionals can develop successfully. By incorporating international standards and research into our practice, we strive to improve the quality of medical care provided to every mother and child. This congress reflects our commitment to promoting health education and a multidisciplinary approach that benefits all the stakeholders.”

For two days, Kazakhstani and international speakers of the First International Congress of Obstetricians shared practical experience related to key approaches to providing obstetric services in the primary health care model, talked of how the work with actual data helps in obstetric practice, discussed key aspects in the evidence-based obstetric practice.

The congress program also includes master classes for obstetricians: on the use of non-pneumatic anti-shock garment (NASG) in prevention of postpartum hemorrhage, on the universal progressive model of nursing care for pregnant women and other relevant topics in obstetric practice.

“AYALA Charity Foundation is the only foundation that helps consistently and systematically to the state in development of neonatology and perinatology in Kazakhstan for 17 years. We pay special attention in our work to supporting professional development of medical workers. Every year our Foundation holds practical master classes in Kazakhstan with engagement of the best practitioners from the CIS and other countries. We also send doctors for training and advanced training abroad. More than 1.5 thousand neonatologists and neonatal nurses have already registered on our AYALA Online Academy platform with free video courses. Last year we held the first International Forum of Neonatal Nurses which has become a positive impetus to further development of expertise and competencies among nursing staff of perinatal centers. This year, for the first time in Kazakhstan, we organized the International Congress of Obstetricians. We are happy that our initiative has elicited response and support from the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan. We see that the topics and speakers are relevant and interesting to all participants. We hope that the knowledge and practical skills gained at this forum will help in improving obstetric practice in our country and strengthening health of the nation,” — Aidan Suleimenova, Founder and President of AYALA Charity Foundation noted.