The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece has initiated a programme for the establishment of Fetal Medicine Units and relevant training in cooperation with the Fetal Medicine Foundation, London, in six countries. The countries where the programme is foreseen to be implemented are Albania, Armenia, Kosovo*, Moldova, North Macedonia, and also, in sub Saharan Africa, in Ethiopia.
The programme includes the following actions for the period 2022-2025:
1. Establishment of a Fetal Medicine Unit (FMU) within the structure of the National Health Care System in the maternity unity of a public hospital in the country’s capital. The Fetal Medicine Foundation will provide the necessary equipment, ultrasound machines, computers, software and furniture.
2. Launching a Fetal Medicine training programme with two components: (i) Creation of a one-year MSc Degree in Obstetric Ultrasound and Fetal Medicine in the Obstetrics Faculty of a public university, (ii) Provision of scholarships for 2-year Fellowship in Fetal Medicine Foundation, Kings Hospital in London, for newly qualified obstetricians.
The trained doctors will be employed in their country of origin where they will be providing high quality services in the Fetal Medicine Unit and train other doctors.
Fetal Medicine Foundation London https://fetalmedicine.org/ is a non-profit Foundation which aims at the dissemination and wide implementation of the innovative research and methods which the Fetal Medicine Center London has developed. These methods have contributed prominently to scanning, diagnosing, and treatment of issues arising during the pregnancy.
The programme, which will be implemented in close cooperation with the Ministries of Health of the participating countries, constitutes valuable knowledge transfer and offers support in the implementation of methods which advance fetal and maternal health and decrease mortality. The programme also advances the doctor’s participation in innovative medical research and technology implementation.
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.