For Immediate Release
April 7, 2008

TELEMEDICINE AT WORK:
ARMENIA FUND SPONSORS A NEW SERIES
OF YEREVAN-STEPANAKERT TELECONFERENCES ON PEDIATRICS AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES

NEW YORK, New York — Armenia Fund’s telemedicine program, first launched with the completion of the Armine Pagoumian Polyclinic and Hirair and Anna Hovnanian Diagnostic Center in Stepanakert in 2005, is an innovative approach to dissemination of medical knowledge and good practice through technology. The success of the program was marked by yet another teleconference held at the Yerevan State Medical University (YSMU) of Mkhitar Heratsi in February, 2008. Sponsored by Armenia Fund, and organized by the Department of Postgraduate/Continuing Education at YSMU, the teleconference focused on pediatrics and connected medical professionals in this field from different parts of the country. While the main two focal points of the teleconference were Yerevan and Stepanakert, many of the participating pediatricians came from more than a dozen regions of Armenia, including Goris, Armavir, Vahgarshapat, Martuni, Alaverdi, Berd, Idjevan, Dilidjan, Masis, Abovian, Charentsavan, Artashat, Aragats. The conference brought together more than forty medical professionals in Yerevan, and more than fifty in Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh.

	Telemedicine at Work: Armenia Fund Sponsors a New Series of Yerevan-Stepanakert Teleconferences on Pediatrics And Infectious Diseases

Aimed at improving delivery of pediatric care in the less developed regions of the country, the teleconference was fully translated into Armenian. Two most important topics covered included “Febrile Convulsions in Childhood” presented by Arusyak Khachatryan from St. Astvatsamair Medical Center, and “Jaundices in Childhood” presented by Hrant Kalenteryan from University Hospital N3 at YSMU.

A second teleconference, this time focusing on infectious diseases was held on February 22, 2008. Through a Yerevan-Salzburg telemedicine-conference, Dr. Ellen A. Morrison from the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Department of Medicine/ Columbia University Medical Center delivered a full series of lectures on “Infectious Causes of Diarrhea.” The teleconference drew the participation of more than thirty physicians from Yerevan, Department of Pediatrics and Infectious Diseases at YSMU, and pediatricians from different regions of the country.

“This is truly an exciting – seeing our telemedicine program fully functional to deliver quality healthcare to the underserved regions of rural Armenia and Karabakh. We hope that such kind of events will become more and more frequent, enabling physicians in the capital to share information and knowledge. This is what we are continuously trying to achieve – narrowing the gap of living standards between Yerevan and rural Armenia,” says Irina Lazarian, the Executive Director of Armenia Fund in New York.

Armenia Fund’s Telemedicine Program aims at modernizing delivery of healthcare and professional development of physicians in less developed regions of Armenia and Karabakh.

ABOUT ARMENIA FUND USA: founded in 1992, was one of the first of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s 18 international affiliates and serves constituents in all states east of the Mississippi. As a non-profit, non-governmental, nonsectarian organization, the Fund represents all Armenian constituents. Armenia Fund USA is the largest contributor among the 18 international affiliates – supporting strategic infrastructure projects in Armenia and Karabakh. The Fund has adopted a policy to go “Beyond Bricks and Mortar” to provide sustainability for projects it sponsors.

To learn more about Armenia Fund USA, please visit our website at
www.ArmeniaFundUSA.org or call us at 212-689-5307.