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-----Original Message-----
From: Weisman, Jonathan [mailto:Jonathan.Weisman@wsj.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2011 9:14 AM
To: Alexander, Elizabeth; Dudley, Amy; Allen, Elizabeth M.; Epstein,
Michael S. (Associate)
Subject: Dr. Jill Biden pool report

This pool report is an account of events by White House staff, not
your lone pooler, who is with VPOTUS:


On Thursday afternoon in Moscow, Dr. Jill Biden (along with
granddaughter Finnegan Biden) visited a leading center for maternal
and child health in Russia, the Kulakov Center for Obstetrics,
Gynecology and Perinatology. Dr. Biden was hosted and toured the
facilities with Dr. Genadii Sukhikh, Director of the Kulakov Center
and a world-renowned scientist.

Dr. Biden began her visit (after a quick stop to put on a lab coat) by
touring the intermediate care neonatal department where she met with
several new mothers and their newborn babies. Dr. Sukhikh discussed
the improvements in maternal and infant health in Russia, and the ways
that Russia is utilizing technology in innovative ways to improve the
health of its people (two areas of collaboration under the U.S.-Russia
Bilateral Presidential Commission). Dr. Biden spoke briefly with
doctors and nurses about the work of the center.

After the tour, Dr. Biden joined in a roundtable discussion about the
new partnership to create text4baby Russia, a free mobile health
information service promoting maternal and child health through text
messages. The partnership is led by the Health and Development
Foundation, a Russian civil society organization, and supported by
founding sponsor Johnson & Johnson. Participants at the roundtable
today included representatives from the Russian Ministry of Health and
Social Development, the Kulakov Center, USAID partners, and
representatives of Johnson & Johnson.

In a roundtable discussion about the partnership, Dr. Biden thanked
the Kulakov Center for hosting her, she congratulated the organizers
of the text4baby program and partners, and commented on the “great
hope for the future” that this collaboration and technology program
represents.

After the discussion, Dr. Sukhikh presented Dr. Biden with a
traditional Russian lacquer box and presented granddaughter Finnegan
Biden with a traditional Russian doll as a thank you for her visit.
Dr. Biden shook hands and visited with the participants individually,
and then took photos with the assembled group before departing the
Center.

The visit was covered by members of the Russian press.

BACKGROUND ON TEXT4BABY:

Text4baby Russia is similar to the text4baby service that was launched
in the United States by Federal Chief Technology Office Aneesh Chopra
last year. The U.S. and Russian partners have been working together
since last year to share technical expertise and best practices in
using text messaging programs to improve the health of expecting and
new mothers. The Text4baby Russia service is scheduled to start
sending messages to moms later this year.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/02/04/new-mothers-get-digital-helper-right-their-phones

And

http://text4baby.org/


Jonathan Weisman
Wall Street Journal

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