“Cradles of Hope”: The Victor Pinchuk Foundation has started the national networking of neonatal centers in Ukraine.

On 1 June, the Day of Advocacy of Children, the neonatal center, an intensive therapy department for newborns, was launched in the Chernigov maternity hospital. The center was opened within the Cradles of Hope program which is developed and funded by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation with a view to facilitate solving of the infant mortality problem.

In the coming years the program envisages a networking of the specialized neonatal centers across Ukraine. The nationwide network of neonatal centers equipped with modern facilities of nursing means and intensive care will enable to transport with dispatch an emergency infant and to render him a required assistance. By the specialists' estimate, the availability of facilities and competent personnel in the centers will finally resulted in a 50%-reduction of the infant mortality in Ukraine.

Within the first phase of the program, following the Chernigov maternity hospital, in summer 2006, the neonatal intensive therapy centers were opened in those maternity hospitals which were in highest need for such facilities.

In opinion of the initiator of the Cradles of Hope project, a noted businessman and philanthropist in Ukraine Victor Pinchuk, the situation with the infant mortality in Ukraine requires the decisive actions both on the part of State and business.

Having a good will, determination, modern facilities and professional specialists, we could rescue thousands of children every year.  Could means must, - Victor Pinchuk believes.
 
In the Cradles of Hope project, the Children of Chernobyl Relief and Development Fund (Ukraine-USA) acts as a partner of the Victor Pinchuk Foundation.

A neonatal intensive care unit includes:  a respirator with a graphics monitor, a neonatal infant incubator, a monitoring system, accessories on the stand for multipurpose use (a pulse oximeter, a cardiorespiratory monitor, a capnograph, an infusion pump, an aspirator, upper and lower phototherapy lamps, a scale). Each component was selected out of the best patterns produced by the leading firms of Denmark, Switzerland, USA, New Zealand, Poland and Japan. On average, one infant requires one intensive care unit within a month. 

According to the State Committee of Statistics of Ukraine, about 4000 infants under a year die annually in the country. No stable tendency for the infant mortality reducing is observed in Ukraine so far.  The mortality rate per 1000 newborns remained virtually at the same level in the last four years (2002 - 10.3, 2003 - 9.6, 2004 - 11.6; 2005 - 11.0). 
 
The Victor Pinchuk Foundation was established on 23 February 2006 with the aim of coordination and more efficient implementation of the charitable programs of Victor Pinchuk. The main programs of the Foundation are:  Cradles of Hope project, The Contemporary Art Center in Ukraine, "Zavtra.ua" project for supporting the talented students.

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