Two back-to-back technical seminars on data collection, processing and reporting under the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Turkmenistan were held this week.  The Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan co-led the meeting in partnership with UNFPA, United Nations Population Fund and WHO, World Health Organization.

The one day seminar on the data collection under International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and its use for monitoring of implementation and reporting under the reproductive health related SDG indicators was facilitated by the Head of Medical Statistics and Information Department of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan. UNFPA international consultant Dr. Anna Korotkova facilitated the two-day seminar on methodologies for calculating indicators and ensuring synchronization and standardization of SDGs data collection, processing and reporting to be in line with global approaches.  The participants of the two seminars were specialists from the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry, Ministry of Economy and Development, and State Statistics Committee.

The importance of the seminar on ICD is that it provides a common language for reporting and monitoring diseases not only at national level but also international. This allows the world to compare and share data in a consistent and standard way – between hospitals, regions and countries and over periods of time. It facilitates the collection and storage of data for analysis and evidence-based decision-making. Moreover, the collected data represents a great deal for monitoring of progress towards achievement of SDGs targets Turkmenistan committed to reach by 2030.

Turkmenistan has taken an active part in the global consultations on the development of Post 2015 Development Agenda, and consequently Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and constructively supported the efforts of the world community to adopt them. In March 2016, in close cooperation with UN agencies and ministries and agencies of Turkmenistan, UNFPA supported active consultations on the adaptation of the SDGs and related tasks and indicators. As a result of this joint work, Turkmenistan adopted all 17 Sustainable Development Goals, 121 out of 169 global targets adopted without changes and 27 targets with modifications. 109 out of 241 global indicators were adopted unchanged, 50 - with changes to match the national context. In addition, 39 national indicators were formulated.

The Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan is one of the main government agencies responsible for achieving the targets and indicators of Goal 3 Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages. The sound measurement of progress towards their achievement directly depends on the collection and analysis of data, monitoring and evaluation. In this connection, the Ministry expressed interest in studying methodologies for calculating indicators and ensuring synchronization and standardization of SDG data collection, processing and reporting with global approaches. The main components of the seminar included the review of metadata, methodology and calculation of the SDG 3 indicators, ensuring the comparability of national estimates with global ones, inventory of available and potential sources of data, and formats and periodicity of reporting.

“Within the context of promoting the SDGs, UN agencies in Turkmenistan provided all needed support and stood next to the Government of Turkmenistan during the extensive global consultations” said Dr. Bahtygul Karriyeva, Head of WHO Country Office in Turkmenistan.  Health is positioned by the SDGs as a key feature of human development. Social, environmental and economic determinants, such as education, income and urbanization, have an impact on health and, in turn, benefit from a healthy population. 

“Effective tracking the progress towards achievement of SDGs will require a well-adjusted and technologically supported system of monitoring and evaluation, which is the next step to be realized in partnership with the Government of Turkmenistan” said Ms. Bayramgul Garabayeva, UNFPA Assistant Representative.  “UNFPA will continue to partner with the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan and other government entities in implementing the country commitments under the SDGs.”

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For additional information, please contact:

Bayramgul Garabayeva, UNFPA Assistant Representative
garabayeva@unfpa.org

Ene Tuyliyeva, Advocacy Communication Associate
tuyliyeva@unfpa.org

Tel: 488325
Web: turkmenistan.unfpa.org, tm.one.un.org