
Programme objective - improved quality of health care in perinatal and neonatal health care services in Lithuania. Programme results will ensure contribution to the reduction of economic and social disparities between Lithuania and the more advanced countries of the enlarged EU and contribution within Lithuania to the reduction of economic and social disparities between the dynamic urban centres and the structurally weak peripheral regions. The support also contributes directly to the Lithuanian Governmental Programme's objectives: to improve perinatal and neonatal health care services in Lithuania and to introduce energy efficient technologies into Lithuanian hospitals that provide perinatal and neonatal health care services.
A feasibility study has been carried out in order to identify the needs of hospitals that provide perinatal and neonatal health care services. The programmes prepared on the basis of the feasibility study define the selection criteria for the beneficiary hospitals, the list of the beneficiaries, the funded activities, the order and procedure of public procurement, and allocate the support funds. The Swiss Government approved the programmes in April 2011, the support agreements approving the final project proposals were signed on 20 December 2011, and the agreements with the beneficiaries are to were signed in June 2012. The Cooperation Programme will run until 13 December 2016 (projects will run until 31 August 2016).
1. Improvement of perinatal and neonatal care services in Lithuania - CHF 31.294 mln.*
(CHF 26.600 mln. is the Swiss support funds and CHF 4.694 is the co-financing of the Republic of Lithuania)
Results after programme implementation:
2. Introduction of energy efficient technologies into the Lithuanian hospitals providing perinatal and neonatal health care services - CHF 22.353 mln.*
(CHF 19.000 mln. is the Swiss support funds and CHF 3.353 is the co-financing of the Republic of Lithuania)
Results after programme implementation:
National Coordination Unit (NCU). The Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania will implement the functions of the national coordination unit set forth in the Framework Agreement.
Part of the functions of the national coordination unit has been delegated to the Central Project Management Agency (CPMA).
Intermediate Body. The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania (MoH) has been assigned the function of the Intermediate Body. Acting as the Intermediate Body, MoH performs the following functions:
In the preparation and administration of the Programmes, the functions of the Ministry as the Intermediate Body are performed by the International Project Management Division.
To coordinate the activities of the programme, the Joint Health Sector Steering Committee is established for the programmes funded under the Lithuanian–Swiss Cooperation Programme aimed at reducing economic and social disparities within the enlarged European Union.
The Chairman of the Committee is the Viceminister of Health. The Committee consists of representatives of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance, the CPMA, the Lithuanian Neonatology Association, the Lithuanian Association of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Lithuanian Nursing Specialists Organisation, Lithuanian Obstetricians Union, the State Patients’ Fund under the MoH and the public establishment Centre of Registers.
The Swiss representatives are invited to the meetings of the Committee as observers. Switzerland has the right to express an objection to decisions on the implementation of the activities.
The Programme Steering Committee performs the following functions: