ADB greenlights $100m loan for improved perinatal services in Uzbekistan

The initiative supports the upgrading of 230 perinatal centres across the country.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $100m concessional loan to improve Uzbekistan’s perinatal health services for pregnant women and newborns.

According to the bank, the Integrated Perinatal Care Project will help the government upgrade around 230 perinatal centres with modern and energy-efficient medical equipment, updated clinical standards and protocols, improved capacity of health staff, and quality assurance mechanisms.

Furthermore, the project aims to strengthen emergency response teams and introduce electronic patient records to early identify health risks and monitor pregnancies.  

“ADB supports the government’s commitment to ensure high-quality perinatal health services in Uzbekistan to protect the health of women and children and reduce maternal and neonatal mortality in the country,” ADB Director General for Central and West Asia, Yevgeniy Zhukov, said.

For context, though the country’s maternal mortality has improved from 38 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2010 to 30 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, this remains high compared to the average for Central Asia.

Moreover, neonatal mortality has seen an increase in recent years amidst rising birth rates despite previous improvements.