Today, residents of the Garalar community of Sabirabad rayon, representatives of the local ExCom and the municipality, officials from the Ministry of Economy and Industry, and USAID gathered to mark the successful completion of the construction of a new medical facility. The facility was constructed under the Socio-Economic Development Activity (SEDA) co-financed by the governments of the United States and Azerbaijan.

The Garalar community has long been deprived of an adequate building and equipment to provide quality health care services. To address this issue, the community through the Community Development Council worked with the SEDA project, the Regional Health Department of the Ministry of Health and the municipality to build the new medical facility. With two examination rooms and one corridor for a waiting room, the new facility will improve the day-to-day health conditions for nearly one thousand people in the community.

“The construction of this facility is a clear example of successful cooperation between the governments of the United States and Azerbaijan to assist local communities address important needs,” said Dereck Hogan, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Baku. He also thanked the community for their dedication to mobilize local resources to improve their living conditions.

“The successfully completed medical point will provide new capabilities and opportunities for patients, people with disabilities and the elderly to have a healthy life style,” stressed Aziz Mikayilov, Chief Doctor of the Sabirabad Central Hospital.

Implemented by the East-West Management Institute with support from the Ministry of Economy and Industry and the Council for State Support to NGOs, SEDA promotes fuller participation of citizens, civil society organizations and local and central government institutions to advance socio-economic development in their communities.