[By NBC-1TV H. J Yook]Korea Human Resource Development Institute for Health and Welfare, KOHI (President; Lee Sangyong) successfully concluded ‘Maternal and Child Health Promotion Program for Latin America’ cooperated with KOICA. 16 health professionals who are in charge of maternal and child healthcare from El Salvador, Ecuador and Guatemala participated in the course from 4th to 24th of November 2012.

The program is one of KOICA mid-term fellowship programs and aims to train the health workforce for maternal and child health promotion sustainably until 2014. In 2013, second year program will include workshops at the site and development of education tools for improvement of maternal and child health as well as invitation training.

This program was anticipated to help decrease Maternal Mortality Rate(MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate(IMR) which were chosen as Millenium Development Goals. Program fellows visited public health center, Maternal and Child Health Center, Kyunghee University Oriental Hospital and Post-natal Care Center and so on to understand Korea‘s Maternal and Child Health system. They visited Gyeongju cultural heritage, POSCO , and Gumi Saemaul Undong Hall to experience Korea’s industry and culture.

“This program is very necessary for us. I can not wait to put to use the skills and ideas acquired from the course for development of my country.” Mr. Gustavo Adolfo Batres Cerezo, a coordinator at Ministry of Health and Welfare, Guatemala, said. “I have high expectations from the workshop which is for developing the safer labor environment for ethic midwives of El Salvador and Guatemala, and for decrease teenager pregnancy of Ecuador.” he added.

KOHI runs various programs, including Population and Reproductive Health, Health Finance and Insurance System, and Community Health Development to promote the world's health.