2023 Annual Report
The year 2023 was another period of great progress for FAR’s Health Program. FAR’s work in this sector has been instrumental in elevating the quality of the Armenian healthcare system through the enrichment of its human resources and the improvement of the country’s overall public health awareness.
FUND FOR ARMENIAN RELIEF PROGRAMS
Healthcare
The year 2023 was another period of great progress for FAR’s Health Program. FAR’s work in this sector has been instrumental in elevating the quality of the Armenian healthcare system through the enrichment of its human resources and the improvement of the country’s overall public health awareness.
SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF GERIATRICS IN ARMENIA
This new project was initiated at the end of 2022 to support the development of geriatrics and the betterment of the health of older persons in Armenia. The project kicked off with an extensive study and a nationwide survey to assess the general health of older people in Armenia and to identify the existing gaps in available healthcare services for this age group. Based on the findings, monthly lectures on geriatric medicine were given throughout 2023 for primary healthcare providers in Armenia’s rural regions.
A three-day training course called “Developing Skills and Knowledge in Geriatrics and Gerontology” was also held in June. The course was specifically tailored for nurses working at primary healthcare facilities and elder care homes in the Berd Region of Tavush Province, in Sisian in Syunik Province, as well as in Vanadzor and Yerevan. Eighty nurses attended the training.
"In 2023, I took part in FAR’s CME program, focusing on general therapy. It was a transformative experience for me. The program equipped me with updated knowledge and introduced me to emerging treatment methods,” she said. “I knew that participating in the NCD program would again allow me to gain invaluable insights into new drug groups and learn about the importance of nutrition and therapeutic physical activities in managing chronic conditions. These holistic approaches are essential for promoting better health outcomes in rural communities.”
FAR has also supported community health education programs in Darbas and with the provision of resources and improvements at Anush’s hospital, including a solar heating system.
As the only doctor in this border region for more than three decades she has become a trusted and reliable source of support for its 1,700 locals.
After graduating from Yerevan State Medical University Anush made the selfless decision to leave her home city and go to Sisian because it suffered a dearth of healthcare providers. She initially intended to stay for two years until she realized there would be no one to replace her. Her husband Tigran, who had recently graduated with a degree in IT from Yerevan State University received a job offer in the capital. He turned it down and for more than 30 years, he has been the sole math teacher in Darbas Village.
Anush was a Continuing Medical Education Program (CME) participant in 2022. Her experience with CME continued to provide her with great opportunities and, in May 2023, she traveled to Yerevan to participate in a FAR-sponsored training on the management of non-communicable diseases (NCD).
Anush Nersisyan
HIGHLIGHTED BENEFICIARY
SINCE 1991, DR. ANUSH NERSISYAN HAS DEDICATED HERSELF TO PROVIDING THE RESIDENTS OF DARBAS AND ITS SIX NEIGHBORING VILLAGES IN THE SISIAN REGION WITH ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE.
As part of 6IMCA, FAR also supported the Armenian Nurse Society in organizing a General Nursing Satellite Symposium in Tavush Province. In addition to general topics, more than 100 participants learned about the importance of nurses’ roles in public health promotion.
FAR’s Healthcare team also presented two papers, A Multidisciplinary Community-based Model of Children’s Health Improvement and Continuous Professional Development of Healthcare Providers in Armenia and Artsakh, at 6IMCA.
Finally, FAR helped six physicians displaced from Artsakh find their clinical residency programs at Yerevan State Medical University and the National Institute of Health.
Important CME medical events during 2023 included the Professor Edgar Housepian Clinical Neuroscience Symposium; the 2nd Annual Dr. Raffy Hovannesian International Medical Conference; and the 5th Annual French-Armenian Electroneuromyography (ENMG) Workshop.
FAR supported events conducted by the National Pediatric Center of Familial Mediterranean Fever, including awareness-raising campaigns and lectures on the most common pediatric illnesses in Armenia’s most vulnerable regions in Tavush and Syunik provinces.
Finally, the 6th International Medical Congress of Armenia (6IMCA) was held in Yerevan from July 6th to 8th. Once again FAR’s healthcare team took an active role in this medical conference, which more than 500 people attended. The event served as a platform for education and networking for healthcare workers from throughout Armenia and from abroad. FAR also provided a fellowship that enabled one family physician from the Sisian Region to attend.
A brand-new six-day course called “Management of Pediatric Diseases” designed to focus on prevalent diseases among children in Armenia and Artsakh for family physicians and pediatricians, was launched in 2023. The course focused on the most common diseases affecting children in Armenia, including neonatal, respiratory, neurological, and skin diseases, as well as state-of-the-art clinical approaches for diagnosis and treatment. Twenty-five pediatricians and family physicians from Tavush and Syunik provinces completed the course, which was held in May and in November. Fifteen physicians from Artsakh participated via Zoom due to the Artsakh blockade in November.
A six-day intensive course in Electrocardiogram Learning and Prevention and Management of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) was held for nearly 70 family physicians and general practitioners from all regions of Armenia and Artsakh. Two sessions were held, one in May and another in November.
CME supported 51 physicians from Armenia during 2023, bringing the total number of CME alumni to over 1,000 since the program’s inception in 2005. In addition, 22 physicians from Artsakh actively took part in CME through the support of the Armenian-American Health Professionals Organization (AAHPO). They joined the nearly 250 physicians in Artsakh who have participated in CME since 2011.
Medical trainings, symposiums and conferences remain a crucial part of the CME program and a way to continue to facilitate the professional growth of Armenia’s healthcare workers and ultimately to elevate the quality of care in the country.
CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM (CME)
For nearly two decades, the Continuing Medical Education Program (CME) has steadily elevated the quality of the healthcare system in Armenia through enhanced professional development opportunities for the medical professionals who serve Armenia’s rural and remote areas and Artsakh. CME also links these healthcare providers to a valuable network through which they can access further opportunities.
Through CME, physicians participate in a one-month mentorship program with doctors at leading medical institutions in Yerevan during which they hone their skills, deepen their knowledge of a chosen specialization, or explore a new area of focus.
COMBATING MALNUTRITION PROJECT
Since March 2020, FAR has partnered with preschools in Armenia’s Aragatsotn and Tavush provinces to support children’s healthy development through improved access to balanced nutrition, a key component for the mental, physical and cognitive development of children under 6.
During 2023, the project facilitated the provision of healthy daily meals for 876 children at two daycare facilities in Tavush Province as well as for 452 children at five different daycare facilities in Aragatsotn Province.
CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR HEAD NURSES
This program was piloted and launched in 2023 and aimed to support head nurses working in Armenia’s hospitals. It was made possible with the collaboration of Arabkir Medical Complex, which is known for its extensive international training experience, especially in Switzerland and Belgium.
Nurses from Arabkir developed the curriculum, which covered topics as varied as leadership, management and communication. Two sessions of the program were held in 2023 and a total of 33 nurses representing each of Armenia’s regions along with Artsakh, participated.
CME
Young mothers participated in 137 community trainings on the most common public health topics.
1,674
Continuous Professional Development for Head Nurses
Hospital nurses, including 3 from Artsakh, benefitted from professional development training
33
Combatting Malnutrition
Children nourished through healthy daily meals
1,328
Supporting the Development of Geriatrics
Nurses trained in geriatrics and gerontology skills
80
Continuing Medical Education Program
73 physicians, including 22 from Artsakh, received professional development opportunities
73
HEALTHCARE
By the Numbers
Mardigian Foundation
Nazarian Family Foundation
Dr. Richard & Sonya Nersessian Babayan
Dr. Raffy Hovanessian Education Fund
SJS Charitable Trust
Armenian American Health Professionals - AAHPO
Armenian Medical Fund
Dadourian Foundation
HoVeKim Foundation
Levon & Claudia Nazarian Family Foundation
Dr. Richard & Sonya Nersessian Babayan
Dr. Raffy Hovanessian Education Fund
SJS Charitable Trust
HoVeKim Foundation
Levon & Claudia Nazarian Family Foundation
Mardigian Foundation
Nazarian Family Foundation
Armenian American Health Professionals - AAHPO
Armenian Medical Fund
Dadourian Foundation