Armenian EyeCare Project marks the beginning of its new operational season

ArmRadio.am
02.02.2007 15:18

The Armenian EyeCare Project (AECP) will mark the beginning of its new
operational season in February 2007 by conducting free of charge eye
screening for the vulnerable population of the Kanaeker-Zeitun
district in Yerevan in close collaboration with the District
Municipality. In the scope of the USAID/AECP Primary and Opthalmologic
Healthcare Alliance, fifteen schools including four special schools,
fifteen kindergartens, three soup kitchens as well as the vulnerable
population of the district will participate in eye screenings
scheduled to commence on February 19th and last until mid March.

Earlier this year the AECP finalized its activities in Ararat region
of Armenia where following over two months of intensive work 13, 765
people were screened including 8, 084 children, 1, 080 patients were
referred to the Mobile Eye Hospital (MEH) for further examination and
treatment, 349 were operated on and 124 patients received laser
treatment. As an additional service provided in the scope of the
project, over 1, 700 eye glasses were prescribed and delivered to the
most vulnerable population of Ararat region.

According to the AECP Yerevan Office Country Director Ms. Nune
Yeghiazaryan, the major priorities for the organization this year
include eye screening missions to Kotayk, Lori, Shirak and Tavush
regions of Armenia that are scheduled to commence from March
2007. Additionally, an extensive Public Education and Communication
campaign is planned to improve public attitudes towards eye care and
prevention and to encourage the population in the regions to attend
free of charge eye screening offered by the AECP.

One of the key highlights of the year 2007 will be the Second Medical
International Congress to be held in Armenia in June. During the
conference the AECP will lead the Satellite Symposia on Ophthalmology
with the participation of world leading specialists and doctors from
Armenia. The Symposia will be followed by master classes conducted by
famous opthalmologists from around the world in the Wet Lab Center
recently established by the AECP with the generous donation from
Pfaiser International.

Summarizing the results of the year 2006, Ms. Yeghiazaryan stressed
that last year had been a year of considerable progress and growth for
the organization. `We managed to not only increase the number of
patients benefiting from the AECP services, but also to improve the
accessibility to eye care for the pouplation in some of the most
remote parts of Armenia,’ ` Ms. Yeghiazaryan said.

In a constant effort to help eliminate preventable blindness in
Armenia since its inception in 1992 to date, the AECP has already
reached over 130,000 people across Armenia who benefited from high
quality eye care services offered in the scope of the project.