PRESS RELEASE
September 17-20, 2005
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA
40 Marshal Baghramian
Yerevan 375019 ARMENIA
Telephone: (37410) 512-522
Fax: (37410) 270-859; 512-512
Contact: Diana Manukyan
E-mail: diana@aua.am <mailto:diana@aua.am>
XXVII Annual ASPHER Conference hosted by the College of Health Sciences at
the American University of Armenia
Yerevan- The College of Health Sciences (CHS) at the American University of
Armenia hosted the XXVII Annual ASPHER (Association of Schools of Public
Health in The European Region) Conference entitled `Educating the Public
Health Workforce: Development Perspectives for the European and
Mediterranean Regions’ from 17-20 September 2005.
The conference addressed development perspectives of Public Health schools
in the European and Mediterranean regions of the World Health Organization,
revealing possible barriers and catalysts to the process of development. For
the first time this exclusive conference hosted about 130 participants from
the Public Health Schools of the European, Mediterranean, and African
regions. Delegates came from 5 continents and over 50 countries, ranging
from South Africa to Finland and from the United States to Mongolia.
The conference was opened by AUA graduate (MBA and MPH) and Honorary Chair
of the Scientific Committee Dr. Tatul Hakopyan Vice Minister of Health,
Armenia, along with, Dr. Haroutune Armenian, AUA President (Chair,
Scientific Committee) and Dr. Michael E. Thompson, Director of the AUA
Center for Health Services Research and Development (Chair, Organizing
Committee).
`Beyond all the assistance from international donors and agencies, the
health care system of Armenia has been running primarily on a capital of
dignity invested by the health care professionals. A dignity that has become
second nature when your history is pot marked by generations of repression
and destruction and you have that continuing urge to survive and move
forward,’ said Haroutune Armenian, AUA President.
Keynote speakers were Dr. Huda Zurayk, Dean, and Faculty of Health Sciences,
American University of Beirut and Dr. Donald A. Henderson, Dean Emeritus,
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Henderson led the
World Health Organization program leading to the eradication of smallpox.
`It seems to me that there is not only a need but an important opportunity
for a fuller mature development of Schools of Public Health that are
professional schools; that work closely with those who are dealing with real
world problems… and that define and actively advocate for needed public
policy. The need is international’, pointed out Dr.Henderson, professor of
Public Health and Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and Resident
Fellow of the Center for Biosecurity of the University of Pittsburgh Medical
Center.
During the conference the Association of Schools of Public Health in the
European Region (ASPHER) awarded its 13th Stampar Medal to Mr. George Soros
of Open Society Institute (OSI), in recognition of OSI’s support to the
development and improvement of public health training in Central and Eastern
Europe and the former Soviet Union. Mr Michael Borowitz, Director of Open
Society Institute’s Public Health Programs, accepted the award on behalf of
OSI’s Public Health Programs.
According to Dr. Anders Folsprang, ASPHER President, `We were delighted to
have the first time the conference is held in a former Soviet Republic
coincide with the College of Health Sciences’ 10th Anniversary. The
Scientific and Organizing Committees did a superb job in preparing a well
organized, stimulating scientific and cultural program.’
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The American University of Armenia is registered as a non-profit educational
organization in both Armenia and the United States and is affiliated with
the Regents of the University of California. Receiving major support from
the AGBU, AUA offers instruction leading to the Masters Degree in eight
graduate programs. For more information about AUA, visit
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