BURNS SUPPER AND THE BRITISH EMBASSY HELP MOTHERS AND CHILDREN IN GEGHARKUNIK AND LORI MARZ
Armenpress
May 31 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 31, ARMENPRESS: The British Embassy in Armenia held a
press conference today to mark the handover of funds raised at the
2006 Burns Supper to the beneficiary, Project Nova.
This year the 8th annual Burns Supper raised AMD 9 Million ($20,000),
for the purchase of much needed medical equipment for the Martuni
Community Maternity Hospital in Gegharkunik Marz. The purchase of
the equipment will be arranged by Project NOVA, which will receive
the money on behalf of the beneficiary on the day of press conference.
Through its partner, Project NOVA, will provide an E150 Breeze
Ventilator to the Martuni Maternity hospital. There are approximately
1100 babies delivered in this hospital each year of which about 120
need intensive care.
Martuni Maternity Hospital also looks after women with complicated
pregnancies both from the Martuni and the Vardenis regions of
the marz. This donation will provide the necessary intensive care
facilities on-site so that there will no longer be a need to refer
babies and pregnant women to clinics in Yerevan.
Additionally, a small portion of this donation will be used to renovate
an ultrasound device in Alaverdi Maternity Hospital to upgrade the
diagnostic capacity of the clinic. The 2006 Burns Supper raised
funds through the sale of the tickets and through an auction on the
night. The impressive amount raised was due to the generous support
of sponsors: HSBC bank, the Marriott Armenia hotel, the Yerevan Brandy
Factory, Hovnanian International and British Airways.
The embassy said it was also very grateful to the generous prizes
offered in the auction by the following companies: London-Yerevan
insurance company, Tufenkian Rugs, Artbridge cafe, Hugo Boss, Davidoff,
First Floor arts salon, Dolmama restaurant, Phoenicia restaurant,
Arena bowling club and Litte medical center.
The Burns Supper was started by close friends of Burns a few years
after his death in 1796 as a tribute to his memory. For about 200
years on or around his birthday, January 25th, Scots both at home and
abroad remember Robert Burns enjoying a traditional Scottish meal,
the drinking of Scottish whiskey and the recitation of works by,
about, and in the spirit of Robert Burns.
This year the USAID-supported Project NOVA began its work in Kotayk
and Gegharkunik Marzes to strengthen access to maternal and child
health services among rural populations.
The project collaborates with the maternity hospitals, outpatient
women’s consultations and rural primary health care facilities to
reinforce their capacity to offer higher quality of life. Project
activities include training, equipping and upgrading rural health
posts and strengthening the overall management and supervision of care.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
