The Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan requested the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for assistance to improve woman and child health (WCH) in July 2002. The ADB Woman and Child Health Development Project (WCHDP) has an overall goal to help the Government achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by reducing maternal and child mortality and morbidity, reducing infectious diseases, with a focus on the rural poor and vulnerable populations. In order to achieve this, the project has set two overall objectives: (i) to support health sector reform initiatives for primary health care, and (ii) to improve the efficiency of health care delivery system for woman and child health. The WCHDP has been prepared in parallel with the World Bank (WB) Health-II project, with complementary project components. Component 1 of the project will build the primary care and first referral network for woman and child health, with improved quality of services and capacity of medical and paramedical personnel to offer international standards of health care. The development of a professional nursing service in line with international standards of nursing education is an important part of the anticipated improvements in health care. As a result of the tender procedure JPIB finalized the contract negotiations with consortium EPOS Health Consultants/SMEC International for the implementation of the Woman and Child Health Development Project - Component 1: Strengthening Decentralized Woman and Child Health Services. The EPOS team worked from November 1, 2007 and ended its work in Feb. 2010.

The team closely worked with MoH, JPIB and other stakeholders to coordinate efforts at national level on Quality Improvement, Antenatal Care and Normal/Complicated Delivery, Neonatal care, Nursing in High Education, Home Nursing, Producing Training Films for Preventing Nosocomial Infections and Use and Maintenance of Laboratory Equipment, Family Planning and Reproductive Health, EBM, IMCI.

In the farme of EPOS Team were achived the following main results:

• The Curriculum Package for Bachelor Program on Nursing in Higher Education was developed, approved by the Ministry of Higher and Special Secondary Education (MHSSE) and susessfully introducted into the Medical Instututes through the country;
• 106 national protocols/standards on Family/Public Nursing were developed, tested and currently implemented in the country;
• Assessment Tool on Neonatal care was developed based on WHO recommendations and integrated into the national programme;
• Series of TOT monitoring visits and recommendations together with standards integration into Curriculums of pre- and post-diploma education on hospital IMCI, QI, Normal and Complicated Delivery were held trhough the pilot regions and at national level based on the package of manual/materials developed with the specialists.

The Health System of Uzbeksitan is still benefitted from the EPOS Team work and Project as it supported devlopment of national standards in MCH as well as guidelines and manuals for Pre and Post-Diplomma Education. These interventions have a long-tem influence and significantly changed the system toward international standards and WHO recommendations.