World Vision, Japan Embassy Partner Up to Rehabilitate Azerbaijan Hospital

By Gretta Curtis, Christian Today Reporter Sunday, July 22, 2007

A partnership between Christian relief agency World Vision and the Embassy of Japan to rehabilitate a hospital will benefit over 40,000 internally displaced people in the western region of Azerbaijan.

The central hospital in Ganja city is situated in the conflict-hit Kalbajar district, which continues to suffer after the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict of 1989. The hospital will be rehabilitated by World Vision with the support of resources from the Japanese Government.

"Education and health are very important factors in the lives of people. We hope that the resources of the Government of Japan and its people will contribute to the development of these two sectors in Azerbaijan," said Ambassador of Japan, Tadahiro Abe, at the official signing ceremony in Baku, Azerbaijan's capital city.

The hospital in the Kalbajar district was re-established in 1993 in the administrative building of the vine factory in Ganja, 350 km west of Baku.

However, since the hospital was built, there have been no renovation works on the building with the exception of some minor cosmetic repairs. The quality of medical care will increase significantly with the installation of additional sanitation facilities and heating systems.

The project is the second partnership project between World Vision and the Embassy of Japan, following the successful construction of a kindergarten a year ago.

"Now, we will rehabilitate the hospital. This is another example of our good partnership with the Embassy of Japan," said World Vision Azerbaijan National Director, Seifu Tirfie to ceremony attendees, including government officials and local media.

Hospital personnel are looking forward to re-commence their work at full capacity in an improved environment later this year.