For Immediate Release
May 31, 2005
ARMENIA FUND USA AND MEDICAL MISSIONS FOR CHILDREN EXPAND HEALTHCARE
OPTIONS FOR ARMENIAN CHILDREN
Partnership Will Bring Medical Education and Specialized Health
Services to Nagorno-Karabakh
PATERSON, NJ – Medical Missions for Children, a non-profit organization
dedicated to elevating the quality of care for seriously ill children
in underserved communities around the world, today announced that
it is partnering with Armenia Fund USA to address the medical
needs of Armenia’s sickest children and adults. With the additional
participation of the Armenia and Nagorno-Karbakh Ministries of
Health, the Armenia Society of Pediatrics and the Armenia Institute
of Pediatric and Adolescent Health, Medical Missions for Children
is laying the groundwork for the expansion of its Global Telemedicine
& Teaching Network™ into this region of the Newly Independent
States (NIS).
In conjunction with Armenia Fund USA’s newly-developed Armine
Pagoumian Polyclinic in Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh, Medical
Missions for Children will implement a medical education program
focused around the topics of pediatric cardiology, otolaryntology
(ENT), oncology and orthopedics. Additionally, Medical Missions
for Children will introduce remote diagnostics capabilities that
will allow physicians in the U.S. to participate in the examination
and diagnosis of pediatric illnesses related to the upper and
lower respiratory system, ear, nose, throat and eye infections.
“Our expectation is that through Medical Missions for Children’s
telemedicine and satellite technologies, we will create a gateway
from Armenia to the 30 medical institutions that make up the mentoring
component of our Global Telemedicine & Teaching Network,”
said John Riehl, executive vice president, Medical Missions for
Children. “It is this same strategy that proved to be very successful
for Medical Missions for Children five years ago when it first
established itself as a vital medical resource to physicians and
children living in Latin America.”
Armenia Fund USA is spearheading the development of a new healthcare
clinic, the Stepanakert Polyclinic and Diagnostic Center, located
in the region’s capital. The existing healthcare facility in Stepanakert
was partially destroyed in the war. The new polyclinic will be
the first and only full care medical center in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The facility is expected to be operational before the end of summer
2005. Besides fully equipping the clinic, Armenia Fund USA, under
the direction of Dr. Alina Dorian, has been implementing an extensive
training program for the past 18 months. This training includes
all of the clinic’s staff, utilizing specialized training materials
and staff from both the John Hopkins and UCLA facilities in the
United States.
“The Global Telemedicine & Teaching Network facility, introduced
by Medical Missions for Children to the Armine Pagoumian Polyclinic
in Stepanakert, will greatly enhance the levels of service and
technological sophistication the polyclinic will be able to provide
to residents of Karabakh,” said Kevork Toroyan, chairman of Armenia
Fund USA.
“We are excited to enhance and expand the medical services Armenia
Fund USA is able to provide critically ill children in Armenia,”
said Frank Brady, founder and chairman of the board, Medical Missions
for Children. “Our relationship will help children who might not
otherwise receive the treatment they desperately need. At the
same time, we will provide access to additional medical education
programming that is designed to enhance learning. This is a unique
opportunity to partner with Armenia Fund USA and we are grateful
for the support the group is providing.”
Medical Missions for Children and its Global Telemedicine &
Teaching Network™ helps critically ill children in underserved
communities around the world. Through an extensive videoconferencing
network, Medical Missions for Children supports the real-time
treatment of remote, critically ill children. In addition utilizing
its fully FCC licensed broadcast station, WMMC, and expansive
digital video library, transmits worldwide an on-going program
of continuing medical education to physicians, nurses, medical
students and hospital administrators.
The organization’s global network encompasses pediatric healthcare
facilities in 36 medically underserved countries and the volunteer
services of 26 tier-one U.S.-based and four international medical
institutions. Since the organization was founded, more than 23,500
children have been helped. Medical Missions for Children continues
to work toward its goal of touching the lives of over one million
children each year.
About Medical Missions for Children
Medical Missions for Children (MMC) is a non-profit organization
dedicated to elevating the care of catastrophically ill children
in underserved U.S. and international communities. MMC created
and manages its programs through the organization’s Global Telemedicine
and Teaching Network™ (GTTN) – an interactive, satellite and Internet-based
communications platform. The Global Telemedicine & Teaching
Network™ supports the real-time treatment of remote, critically
ill children, and through a fully FCC licensed broadcast station,
WMMC, broadcasts worldwide an extensive program of continuing
medical education. Medical Missions for Children is headquartered
at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Paterson, NJ. Visit www.mmissions.org
for additional information.
About Armenia Fund USA
Armenia Fund USA is dedicated to supporting large-scale, self-sustaining
initiatives in both Armenia and Karabakh that are in social and
political transition with tremendous potential for the future.
The Fund is primarily focused on building sustainable infrastructure
for the region through the development of roads, schools, medical
facilities and utilities. Additionally, the Fund invests in humanitarian
programs in education, training and healthcare. For more information,
please visit www.armeniafundusa.org
ABOUT ARMENIA FUND USA: ARMENIA FUND USA, founded in 1992,
was the first of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s 19 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 19 international affiliates – supporting strategic infrastructure projects in Armenia
and Karabakh, and having helped build 138 miles of roads, 100
miles of waterways, 36 schools, 3 electric transmission networks,
210 residential buildings and 15 healthcare institutions.
Armenia Fund USA’s Mission is the development of strategic
socio-economic infrastructure in Armenia and Karabakh, focusing
on major projects such as major highways, schools, drinking water
to communities and humanitarian programs in education, training
and medical facilities. 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.
Armenia Fund USA
80 Maiden Lane, Suite 301
New York, NY 10038
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