The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Tajik State Medical University’s department of Public Health and Medical Statistics celebrated the opening of the department’s new health resource center. Attending the event were the USAID/Tajikistan Country Director Kathleen McDonald, the Rector of Tajik State Medical University Ubaidullo Kurbanov, Head of the Drug Information Center Ahrorova Mahbuba, Head of the Evidence Based Medicine Center Shavkiya Pochojonova, and Head of the Ministry of Health Press Center Fatima Goibova, as well as professors and students from the Tajik State Medical University’s Department of Public Health and Medical Statistics.

The resource center was created based upon an assessment of the department’s capacity, which was conducted by both the university and USAID Quality Project. The center is designed to bolster the university’s educational resources and improve student independent study and research opportunities by providing the Public Health and Medical Statistics department with state of the art research technology. The center offers access to the university’s electronic library network, as well as additional resources on health management. The university led renovations of the room, while the Quality Project provided books, furniture, computers, a projector, a copy machine, and Internet access.

During her speech Ms. McDonald noted, “Educating highly qualified medical professionals through the introduction of international standards is the most important step in meeting the need in Tajikistan for well-trained professionals.”

Mr. Kurbanov shared his enthusiasm about the new resource center, “We are very happy to have the opportunity to cooperate closely with the USAID Quality Health Care Project. The resource center will allow the public health and medical statistics departments to better educate health professionals.”

The USAID Quality Health Care Project is one of the many assistance projects supported by the American people through USAID.  Since 1992, the American people have provided over $1 billion in programs and humanitarian aid that support Tajikistan’s democratic institutions, health care, education, and economic growth.