MANILA, July 16 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Tuesday said it has approved a concessional loan of 100 million U.S. dollars to help Uzbekistan improve perinatal health services for pregnant women and their newborns.
While maternal mortality in Uzbekistan improved from 38 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2010 to 30 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, the ADB said in its press release that the rate "remains high compared to the average for Europe and Central Asia."
The ADB said the integrated perinatal care project will help the government upgrade around 230 centers nationwide with modern, energy-efficient medical equipment, updated clinical standards and protocols, improved health staff capacity, and quality assurance mechanisms.
The project will also enhance the perinatal referral system and expand access to appropriate and timely life-saving care by strengthening emergency response teams and introducing electronic patient records to identify health risks and monitor pregnancies early, the Manila-based bank said. ■