Project Name
Country
Project region
Initial Situation
Kosana
Kosovo
Prishtina, Peja, Gjilan and Gjakova
Early and careful prenatal care is crucial for a healthy pregnancy and baby. The basic
expenses faced from women having birth include prenatal visits and diagnostic tests,
prenatal vitamin of folic acid, basic supplies such as crib, diapers and wipes, car seat,
changing table, baby monitor and basic clothes, as well as childbirth education classes
(Hatfield, 2013). Additional expenses include hospital costs which vary based on the
mode and complication of the delivery. Costs for a newborn care at public facilities
include hospital room and board, laboratory fees, and any other medications. The biggest
factors affecting costs are primarily whether it is vaginal or caesarian, whether there are
complications before, during or after birth, whether the newborn is healthy or ill, and the
length of hospital stay.
AMC has interviewed six key experts and professionals of women health and newborn
care in Kosovo. As a result of interviews below are the findings and suggestions:
•Pregnancy should not be considered as a specially treated event in a female’s lifetime as
compared to other events in her life. It is essential for women to have access to routine
care of screening methods and procedures prior to pregnancy to such prevent specific
diseases that can appear during pregnancy. This is essential for a healthy pregnancy, and,
in cases of difficulties, it can be prevented much easier without any repercussions to
women and/or baby’s health.
•The age of women becoming pregnant is increasing nowadays due to women being
focused on stabilizing their professional career prior to becoming mothers. The age of
women affects fertility, pregnancy, and birth delivery mode as well. The relationship
between women’s age and delivery mode is another cause that requires attention.
•The necessary information before a woman gets pregnant, including the importance of
folic acid, and the measures to be taken to prevent possible infections is not being
provided properly to women in Kosovo.
•Information on healthy nutrition for a pregnant woman, regular body exercises, and
optimal weight gain during pregnancy – are all-important factors that affect the
pregnancy and birth. Such information is still lacking among women.
•Information on medicaments that should be taken during pregnancy and during
breastfeeding – such as creams and lotions to prevent stretch marks in belly, breasts, and
abdomen. Considering the high prices of such products, there are also natural bio
products which are proclaimed to have excellent effects, but are they really effective?
Women are not aware of the effectiveness of such products nor they know which ones to
better use.
•Information on natural birth as on how long does it last, who can be present during
birth-giving, what a woman would bring to the hospital when coming to give birth
(needed clothes, clothes for baby, other things etc.) – is lacking as well.
•Nowadays, the majority of pregnant women work. Can a woman be able to work
normally after giving birth and how long after giving birth can she be able to go back to
work? This is another effect on woman and baby’s wellness/healthiness and another
information women should receive.
•Baby’s health is highly dependent on the antenatal newborn care, routine care for
healthy newborns in NICU, and routine care for sick babies or premature babies.
Objectives
Expected Results
Beneficiaries
Implementing
Partners
•There is a need to pay attention to researching the nosocomial/intra-hospital infections
which are considered to be very high compared to other developing countries and
countries in the region.
•Usage of antibiotics is another field to be paid attention to – what are the prescription
criteria, how much do they increase the treatment costs, up to which level do parents
collaborate in securing medicaments that are in essential list and the ones which are not.
•How much is the routine care and hospitalization of healthy babies in NICU.
•Does the clinic ensure clothes, diapers and other basic needs for the newborns or do
they have to always be purchased by parents.
•The nutrition of newborns: breastfeeding or infant formula. How much do infant
formulas cost, who purchases them (hospitals versus parents), is the personnel
advertising specific infant formulas?
•Are the laboratory analysis being conducted in UCCK or private sector. How much do
patients pay for analysis outside UCCK.
Objective 1: Inventory of studies conducted for women and newborn care in Kosovo.
This objective aims at collecting all the studies conducted for women and newborn care
from different institutions in Kosovo and conduct data analysis.
Objective 2: This objective aims at assessing decision-making process for delivery mode;
a comparison of birth expenses as based on delivery mode; and costs and expenses
during pregnancy and while preparing for the baby.
Objective 3: This objective aims at assessing the routine care of screening methods and
procedures prior to pregnancy as well as essential medicine, equipment, and ante-natal
care for newborns and women.
The findings from this study will be used to advocate among relevant institutions for
health insurance scheme and meeting the target group needs through offering the
routine care and necessary medications for women and newborns. Additionally, the
findings of this study will also identify the trend of women birth mode and what are the
causes behind the number of C-section delivery modes. Moreover, the research authors
will provide recommendations for routine care according to guidelines and care for
women after birth.
Women and newborns
Action for Mothers and Children represents the foundation developing health programs
in Gynecology/Obstetrics Clinics (that care for mothers), Neonatology Intensive Care
Units (that care for pre-mature babies) and Pediatric Clinics (that care for children
suffering of Leukemia, heart diseases, asthma and other illnesses). Action for Mothers
and Children:
Advocates vigorously for better healthcare for women and children throughout the
Republic of Kosovo;
Studies their health problems and health care systems that address these problems;
Develops programs and projects that will help to improve the health of women and
children;
Accords high priority to those activities that will reduce Kosovo's relatively high maternal
and infant mortality rates;
Collaborates with the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders that have similar goals
and objectives.
Our programs are designed in the pillars of health education, research, advocacy and
supply programs supporting Gyn/Ob, NICU and Pediatric departments in Kosovo.
Description
of AMC is a non-for-profit foundation with the foremost goal to save the lives of children
Kosana’s partner
and improve the health care for mothers in the Republic of Kosovo through developing
better systems for the care of pregnant women, and their children.
Project Duration
April 2014 –
Responsible person Mrika Aliu, Mrika.aliu@amchealth.org, 049 685 943
and contacts