The goal of the Gjakova-Dartmouth Reproductive Health partnership is to improve the health of mothers and babies in the municipality of Gjakova. The main objectives of the partnership are to:

1.  Institute high quality Antenatal care services in Family Medicine Centers.

2.  Promote Community knowledge and acceptance of FMC-based Antenatal services.

3.  Assure Sustainability of Quality Antenatal services.

4.  Develop Strategic Alliances with key stakeholders in the implementation of Family Medicine.

• In October 2003, AIHA posted a Request for Applications for a new partnership in Kosovo focusing on reproductive health.
• Proposals from five interested US communities were received, and in January 2004, AIHA selected Dartmouth Medical School as the US partner for the new partnership. USAID concurred with the selection of Hanover as the US partner.
• In February 2004, the US partnership coordinator visited to AIHA/Washington for new partnership orientation and to discuss the site selection process for the new partner in Kosovo.
• In March 2004, the coordinator traveled to Kosovo to participate in the final site selection process with AIHA staff. After reviewing data and meeting with various staff in Gjakova, including the regional health director, director of the Gjakova Health House, head nurse of the Gjakova Health House, and director of the Center for the Development of Family Medicine training site in Gjakova, AIHA and the Dartmouth partners agreed on Gjakova as the location for the new partnership. USAID concurred with the decision.
• The first partnership exchange to Kosovo took place in March 2004 for the initial site assessment. The US partners met with leaders from the Family Medicine Centers in Gjakova, to develop a shared vision for the new partnership, and to establish a collegial, working relationship between the US and Kosovar partners. The partners worked together to review issues related to the implementation of reproductive health services at the primary care level, conducted a SWOT analysis, and defined the goal and main objectives of the partnership. Additionally, the Dartmouth partners introduced the Microsystems methodology for change and quality improvement and, using this, began collecting relevant baseline data and defining the initial partnership workplan and timeline. Four of the Gjilan partners from the now-graduated primary care partnership joined the Gjakova-Dartmouth working group to present some of the key work of their primary healthcare partnership and discuss and define a continuing role for the Gjilan team as advisors and supporters.
• In June 2004, five Kosovar partners traveled to Hanover for the second partnership exchange. The Kosovar partners received Microsystems/leadership training and learned about community outreach/activation models. The partners identified and analyze components of Antenatal care and drafted the partnership workplan. On June 24, the partners celebrated the signing of the partnership Memorandum of Understanding.
• In July 2004, four US partners traveled to Gjakova for the third partnership exchange. The partners conducted eleven training sessions on Antenatal care, developed training course materials in Antenatal care for physicians and nurses, developed patient visit documentation forms for Antenatal care, and charted patient flow at the Main Family Medicine Center. The partners celebrated the opening of the Gjakova Learning Resource Center on July 22.
• In October 2004 two physicians and two nurses from Gjakova traveled to Hanover to participate in the fourth partnership exchange. The Kosovar partners were exposed to reproductive health services in primary care clinical settings in the US. They learned about patient education, community mobilization, and information monitoring techniques that are integral to offering successful high-quality Family Medicine Center-based Antenatal care services.
• In November 2004 two US partners traveled to Kosovo to begin clinical training for Antenatal care, conducting the first Antenatal care course with the Gjakova trainers. The partners conducted additional assessment of community needs and knowledge of Antenatal care services.