Garik Degoyan (left) taking possession of the PVDL from Dr. James Reynolds in Kavar
KAVAR, Armenia—The fifth Portable Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory was delivered to Armenia by the Armenian Technology Group, Inc. This time the portable laboratory was stationed in Kavar, by Lake Sevan, in Gegharkunik region of Armenia.
Garik Degoyan, head of Kavar Regional Veterinary Services, was excited to take possession of the latest PVDL. “I have been anxiously waiting to have received this amazing package since I first saw it demonstrated a few years ago. We never had such flexibility and efficacy in our hands. This will be very useful to us; we can reach the farmers and provide fast service to their animal health concerns, no matter where they might be located,” stated Degoyan.
Dr. Reynolds presenting the PVDL to Garik Degoyan
The PVDL and its components were hand carried to Armenia by the President of the ATG Board of Directors, Dr. James P. Reynolds—Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine—who had initiated the concept of PVDL, as well as the Executive Director of ATG, Varoujan Der Simonian.
The Portable Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories enables local veterinarians to provide on-farm and on-site veterinary services to domestic, cattle, and dairy producing livestock, thereby helping prevent the loss of farm animals and subsequently farm income.
ATG’s Varoujan Der Simonian handing a PVDL to Ijevan regional Veterinary Service Center
The PVDLs could be used by veterinarians to conduct an on-farm and on-site diagnoses of animals for complete blood counts, including WBC and RBC; Culturing and incubation of bacteria; Fecal examinations; Staining and microscopy of tissues, fluids, bacteria and parasites; Semen analysis; Serum chemistries and Urinalysis.
“In celebration of our 30th anniversary in serving the people of Armenia, ATG is pleased to have stationed another PVDL in Armenia,” said Dr. Reynolds. “We believe these portable laboratories present the opportunity to significantly enhance the veterinary diagnostic capabilities of livestock industry in Armenia.”
Varoujan Der Simonian of ATG handing a PVDL unit to Ijevan regional Veterinary Service Center
The Armenian Technology Group was founded 30 years ago, in 1989, to assist the people of Armenia toward agricultural development. Since 2015 however, ATG has placed five PVDLs at the Regional Centers for Veterinary Services in Yerevan, Vanadsor, Ijevan, Goris and now Kavar.
During their trip, representatives of the ATG met with Berg Tumanyan, DVM the head of Central Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Armenia and Georgi Avetisyan, Director of State Food Safety Services. Avetisyan also oversees Veterinary Services, which, after restructuring of the government, were moved outside of the ministry and placed under direct supervision of the Prime Minister’s Cabinet. They visited with local veterinarians as well, and evaluated previously stationed PVDL sites.
Dr. James Reynolds with the staff of Kavar Regional Veterinary
ATG is a California based non-profit organization. Tax-deductible donations could be made on line through the organizations website or mailed to Armenian Technology Group, Inc. P.O. BOX 5929 Fresno, CA 93755.