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| 17:35:30 | 20-06-2005 | Regions |

THE BURNS FAMILY HELPS MOTHERS AND CHILDREN

On 21 June Miss Thorda Abbott-Watt, the British Ambassador, and Mrs Rebecca
Kohler, Chief of Party of Project NOVA, will visit Tavush Marz to donate
medical equipment and supplies worth $25,000 to three hospitals. Mr Armen
Ghularyan, the Tavush Marzpet and Dr Karine Dovlatbekyan, the Head of the
Department of Health and Social Affairs, will accompany them. The donation
includes an incubator, a sonograph machine, medical supplies and related
clinical training.

The donation will be given to the Tavoush region. Tavush is one of the most
remote marzes in the country, with a population of 120,000, of which 60%
live in rural areas. The region has suffered disproportionately from the
socio-economic changes of the last fifteen years. It has higher than average
infant mortality and childhood anemia rates and there is limited access to
specialized care for many rural families. Approximately 1000 infants are
born each year in the marz.

The USAID-supported Project NOVA is providing the equipment and clinical
training in co-operation with the British Embassy. The British Embassy also
supports efforts to strengthen the marz-wide infrastructure and community
development through the DfID ARDEP programme.