Neonatal Resuscitation Training

The neonatal resuscitation training began on Monday morning.  The first group of students was comprised of the best pediatricians in the country.  Some of them were selected as "Master Trainers" to teach other doctors.  The ripple effect can then go on as the trained doctors teach others the skills.  The goal is that every delivery room in the country have a trained professional to care for the babies.

Dr George Bennett and Svetlana and Jyldyz are helping get set up for the training to begin.

Marcia Bennett is working with our translator "Johnny"

Training Manual

The NeoNatalie mannequin all assembled.  These are quite amazing mannequins.  They give an almost real object to practice the techniques.  The green bulb on the left is a squeaker to indicate that the baby has been successfully resuscitated and is now crying!

Dr Mark Underwood and Dr Larry Warner are demonstrating the correct and incorrect things to do

Then the students get a chance to practice

Dr George, Jyldyz (our translator) and one of the master trainers, Jamshed

I told Dr. Mark that if I had a baby in trouble, I would want him in the room to be a calming influence.  At one of the previous seminars, a baby was delivered in another part of the hospital and he was called upon to resuscitate it!

Love this picture in our training room

At the completion of the training, the participants receive their certificates and the equipment for their hospitals, including large and small mannequins.

The first and second day participants

This is the hospital where we held the training.

Lunch was at a wedding hall next to the hospital.  Here are some of our Master Trainers with Dr Mark.

Some of our Tajiki friends

The master trainers receive recognition as teachers

A gift to us from the Master Trainers!

The master trainers, our doctors and the minister of health of Tajikistan.  The little woman by George is named Zebo.  It means beautiful in Tajik.

This really is an amazing program that the church does all over the world.  George and Marcia Bennett have gone on training trips like this for over eight years.  It was a real treat to work with them!

Dushanbe, Tajikistan

We arrived in Dushanbe on Friday to meet up with the neonatal resuscitation training team.  The training starts on Monday so we had some time to do a little sight seeing.

This is our hotel, The Mercury.  It is like an oasis, safe and secluded.  This is a big bed or dining area outside.

Here are a few of the native costumes at a museum of Ethnography.  All of the "stans" have their own styles and designs on their clothing.  Tajikistan has very bright colors in their clothing.

Musical instruments, heavy winter socks and gloves, tapestries, jewelery and interesting hats.  Tajikistan lacks the natural resources like oil found in other countries, but they do have some beautiful gem stones.

Love this baby cradle

The Tajik flag.  This flag pole is supposed to be the tallest in the world.  And some federal buildings surrounding a park.

Alan and George Bennett, the leader of our team.

This girl was especially lovely.  Out with her boyfriend.

More lovely young ladies.

On Sunday we were invited to the home of an LDS family that lives in Tajikistan.  Their oldest son is the only Aaronic priestholder in the country.  We definitely increased their attendance this week.  It was a very sweet experience.  One of our translators lives in Bishkek, Kygyrstan.  There are a few female members there, but they don't get to have the sacrament very often.  It made me feel like we are in the center of Zion in Astana!

Sister Elaine from church (whose husband also works at the embassy) showed us around town a bit after one day of our training.  We visited a sewing factory that had once been run by the Soviets.  The women here are refugees from Afghanistan.  Elaine's friend (above) has started this group to teach the women some marketable skills so they can earn money and have dignity from working.  They make amazing table runners, place mats, aprons, etc with fabric with a Tajiki design.  And Elaine is teaching them English.

I don't know what this says, but I know what is says!

Jyldyz and Svetlana with Dr Larry

With Dr Mark.  Sorry, Svetlana, I did catch you eating!

Marcia and Svetlana

Marcia and Jyldyz

George and Marcia Bennett

Well, that's us!

Back to the airport to head home to Almaty then to Astana.  We almost missed the connection due to a delay, but they ran us through the airport in Almaty and held the plane for us.  And, the luggage even made it!