INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND DIASPORA FOR NKR
Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
16 May 05
International organizations and the Armenian Diaspora greatly aid the
improvement of the health sector in NKR. Family Care, which has been
working in NKR since 1998, implemented a large-scale programme of
first aid and mother and child health care aid to Nagorno Karabakh”
involving improvement of service in medical institutions, repair of
buildings, distribution of medical equipment and medicine, as well
as re-training of medical workers of NK. Within the framework of the
programme the central regional hospitals of Martuni, Martakert and
Hadrut, as well as the local hospitals of the villages of Vank and
Haterk and the out-patient medical station of the village of Mets
Tagher were repaired. In cooperation with the NKR Ministry of Health
and with the support of the American Red Cross the International
Committee of the Red Cross implements the programme of first medical
aid since 1998. In the framework of the programme village medical
stations are repaired in three of the five regions of NKR, a regular
supply of medicine is provided and seminars on “Integrated Management
of Children’s Diseases” and “Management of Diseases Among Adults”. The
French Medecins Sans Frontiers implemented the programme of struggle
against tuberculosis in 1997-2002. In 2002 the new department of the
tuberculosis hospital of Stepanakert was built for infected patients.
The Belgian Medecins Sans Frontiers brought into being the programme of
protection against mental diseases. The latter undertook the repair of
the mental and addiction clinic and provided it with medical equipment,
medicine and other items. After the implementation of the programme
the organization donated four “Niva” jeeps and two computers to the
clinic. Christian Solidarity Worldwide and the vice speaker of the
House of Lords of the British Parliament Caroline Cox founded the
rehabilitation center in Stepanakert. The center admits the disabled,
wounded azatamartiks and servicemen. In order to make the everyday
life of the disabled more interesting a computer room and different
workshops were opened in the Center. As to the contribution of
the Armenian Diaspora to the sphere of health in NKR, the French
organization Gyulian-Guerven for Armenia and Artsakh” founded and
operates the Center for Protection against Diabetes, owing to which
struggle against this disease in cooperation with the government
became more effective and real. On the means provided by the same
organization a group of high quality specialists from France performed
21 difficult and expensive traumatic operations in Artsakh. In the
framework of the programme for improvement of dental service three
dentist’s chairs were donated to the system. “Aida for Armenia”
implemented a programme of aid to the children’s hospital, the roof
and the lavatories were repaired, the hospital was provided with
expensive medical equipment. The New York branch of the all-Armenian
fund “Hayastan” builds and equips a new polyclinic in Stepanakert with
a powerful diagnostic department. The completion of the programme
is estimated in the autumn of 2005. The French public organization
Shen provided a regular supply of medicine. Benefactors from New
York donated expensive tomography and mammography equipment. The
Armenian American Benevolent Society of Medical Care of New York
implements the programme of aid to protection against tuberculosis
in the framework of which the republic hospital of tuberculosis
was provided with modern X-ray machine, the x-ray department and
boiler house were built. Armenian Greek benefactors provided modern
hematological equipment. In 1995 the lecturer of the department of
public health of the University of California Alineh Durian founded
the organization “Sepakan Dzerkerov” which implements a programme
of improvement of the quality of medical service in rural areas. By
this programme more than ten village medical stations have been
repaired and equipped in Askeran and Shushi regions. The children’s
dental clinic founded in Stepanakert by the medical charity “Howard
Karagozian” has been operating since 1996. In November of 2003 the
children’s ophthalmologic department of the clinic was opened. The
Armenian Evangelical Association of the USA repaired part of the
somatic department of the republic children’s hospital. The Armenian
French benefactor Melkon Gyurjian sponsored the repair, equipment and
acquisition of ambulance cars for the village ambulance station of
Aknaghbyur. Doctor Caroline Najarian and her husband George Najarian
founded the center “Arpen” in Stepanakert in 1995 which provides aid
to pregnant women thus encouraging birthrate in Artsakh. The Najarian
family will also provide means for the repair of the children’s
department of the republic isolation hospital, as well as the
surgical department of the republic children’s hospital. Beginning
with 2000 the organization of Armenian Doctors and Medical Workers
of Germany repaired the surgical department and the theatre of the
central regional hospital of Martakert. The department was provided
with equipment. In the framework of the programme of the Armenian
Relief Society of supply of medicine and other medical items the
laboratory of California “Primex” donated expensive equipment for
immune-enzyme test, allowing to perform certain laboratory tests,
for which patients used to leave for Yerevan. The public organization
“Hanganak” set up in November 2004 launched a six-month charity
programme for free social work and medical care for sole people above
65 living in Stepanakert. The author of the programme is doctor of
medicine, master of public health, Gohar Hovhanissian. Owing to her,
the programme was accepted and is funded by the Association of Welfare
of Armenian Women in the USA.
AA.
16-05-2005