NEW RURAL HEALTH POST OPENS IN FERIK VILLAGE
armradio.am
23.10.2009 12:33
On October 23, 2009, USAID/Armenia Social Reform Office Director
Sangita Patel and the Governor of Armavir Marz Ashot Ghahramanyan
marked the opening of a new rural health post in the Ferik village.
The health post emerged as the result of a four-month collaboration
between the community, USAID’s NOVA and Primary Healthcare Reform
(PHCR) projects.
Project NOVA started its Community Partnership for Health activities
in Ferik with the identification of existing problems and the creation
of an action plan with community members. As a result, premises were
assigned for the new health post, which Project NOVA and active members
of the village community renovated together. Ferik provided about
one third of the total renovation costs through financial and in-kind
contributions, while Project NOVA covered the remaining expenses. As
a result, Ferik’s health post now has two newly renovated rooms with
a separate entrance, tiled floors, running water, electricity, and is
ready to greet its patients. In addition, health education materials
are available at the health post, and the facility nurse will conduct
health talks to community members.
As part of the joint efforts to improve healthcare services offered
in the Ferik community, USAID’s PHCR Project provided a standard
set of furniture, equipment and supplies to the health post. To
compliment the improved physical conditions of the facility with
enhanced performance of rural healthcare workers, PHCR ensured that
the nurse serving the Ferik community was enrolled in the unified
family nursing training program provided by the National Institute
of Health through USAID support.
With a new health post, a skilled and knowledgeable nurse, basic
furniture, equipment and supplies, and a more educated and mobilized
community, the utilization of primary healthcare services at the
community level will increase. These enhancements will lead to the
overall improvement of health in Armenian rural communities like Ferik.