The Kozle Institute for Respiratory Diseases in Children in Skopje (IRDC) is mandated by the Ministry of Health to provide secondary health care for young patients with respiratory problems.  The IRDC is the only paediatric hospital specialized in child respiratory care in Macedonia. 

The project has improved the outpatient and inpatient services by building on the Institute’s identified area of strength, pediatric pulmonology.
 

Donation of a new vibro-massage drainage unit
December 2003

In March 2008, Partnerships in Health with  two staff of the Child Life Programme of the Johns Hopkins University Children’s Hospital conducted a five-day course on Providing Healthcare within a Developmental Framework for about 30 health workers of the Kozle Institute, including the following components:

• Children’s rights as related to the health care setting
• What is family-centered care
• Children’s understanding of illness across developmental stages
• Developmentally based approaches and techniques to improve children’s ability to cope
• The role of play in the healthcare setting

This training was very well received and created much interest at the Kozle Institute and raised awareness in Skopje, due to TV coverage.  Health workers immediately started to try suggestions and make some changes in their practices and the environment. 

Achievements
The following are highlights of what has been accomplished since the project began in 2001:

• Donation of medical equipment including: fibre-bronchoscope, body plethismograph, inhalers, computers with printers, nebulizers with compressors, vibro-massage drainage unit, gastric reflux detection and measurement unit, stethoscopes, ottoscopes, scales and sphygmomanometers, allergen/microbiology analyzers and microscopes.

• Advocacy and educational materials such as brochures on diseases developed by Foundation PH (Macedonia) and the doctors of Kozle for the children and their caregivers and patient health booklets.

• Consultation and training provided by specialists from the Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland.

Next Steps
Based on expert recommendations, a future objective for IRDC is to become a centre of excellence in its area of expertise.  To achieve this goal, it is essential to develop a well-organized and well-equipped centre with basic instruments and supplies, as well as ambulatory and emergency services.  A friendly and comfortable waiting area will also need to be established.  In addition, IRDC will continue to develop its capacity to provide state-of-the-art pediatric pulmonary care to its patients through training and education of staff and professional personnel. 

Architectural concept design for the waiting area in IRDC