AMIC’s Newsletter, Montreal, Canada
AMIC’s Info-Flash
2340 Chemin Lucerne # 30
Ville Mont-Royal, Quebec
H3R 2J8
Tel : (514) 739 8950
Fax : (514) 738 2622
Web:
Email: [email protected]
December, 2004
1. Article 1: “Making a Difference in the Health Sector in Armenia:
Canadian-Armenian Health Administration Training Project”.
2. Article 2: “85 People Register as Donors at the Armenian Prelacy of
Canada Bone Marrow Drive”
3. Article 3: “Vocation Awards”
4. Article 4 : “The Armenian Medical Association”
5. Article 5: ” September-October 2004 Medical and Scientific Meetings in
Armenia
6. Article 6 : “What is AMIC?”
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News from Canada
1. Making a Difference in the Health Sector in Armenia: Canadian-Armenian
Health Administration Training Project.
Since May 1996, the Canadian International Development Agency has supported
an initiative of the Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH), aimed
at helping Armenia reform its health sector. Working closely with the
Canadian-Armenian Medical Relief Committee of Ontario , the CSIH has managed
the Canadian-Armenian Health Administration Training Project.
The project allows Armenian health professionals to visit Canadian health
organizations and facilities, such as NGOs, federal and provincial
ministries of health, community health centers, universities and hospitals,
accreditation councils, and professional health associations. Canadian
health experts have also traveled to Armenia as part of this project, to
meet with officials from the Ministry of Health and also with university
personnel, to consult on issues that have been identified following the
in-depth study tour in Canada.
The Armenian health community is interested in studying the Canadian model
as part of its efforts to rebuild that country’s health care system. Armenia
faces many challenges as its government and the emerging private sector
attempt to reform the delivery of health care to its citizens. Under Soviet
rule, health care in Armenia was highly centralized and dependent on
hospitals for basic health services. Both the government and health care
professionals now envisage a decentralized and privatized health care
system, one that would emphasize primary health care and would strengthen
linkages between clinics in rural areas and clinics and hospitals in urban
areas. The opportunity to learn about the Canadian health care system and
the “ins and outs” of Canada’s approach to the delivery of health services
will allow Armenia to make a more informed decision as they move forward in
their own health reform process.
“The CSIH is pleased to help the Canadian Armenian Medical Relief Committee
of Ontario on this project” said Charles A Shields Jr., Executive Director
of the CSIH. “It allows the CSIH to build on the lessons we have learned
through the Partners in Health program that CSIH manages in Ukraine. It also
allows us to understand similar issues that Armenians and Ukrainians are
concerned about”
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2. “85 People Register as Donors at the Armenian Prelacy of Canada Bone
Marrow Drive”
Info-Flash received the following communiqué from the Armenian Prelacy of
Canada.
“Montreal (Qc) – Canada. 85 donors registered in the Armenian Bone Marrow
Project organized jointly by the Armenian Prelacy of Canada and the Armenian
Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR) during the first weekend of December.
The youngest clergy member, Rev. Fr. Karnig Kouyounian, Pastor of Sourp
Hagop Armenian Apostolic Cathedral, was one of the first people to provide a
sample of blood for the Bone Marrow Project.
Armenian Prelacy of Canada Executive Council and Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (ARF) Canada Central committee members also participated in the
drive, as well as school officials and members of the Montreal and Laval
chapters of the ARF Youth Organization Committee of Canada and Homenetmen
Gamk (the scouting and athletic organization).
The Bone Marrow Project is a mission of crucial importance, which was put
into place to ensure that every Armenian (and others) struck with leukemia
or other blood related diseases have the hope of finding a genetically
suitable match for a bone marrow transplant, which often is the only and
final life-saving procedure for the patient.
However, due to the lack of Armenian donors in other registries and due to
the unique genetic make up of Armenians, finding a bone marrow match is more
likely to occur among other Armenians, rendering the ABMDR the greatest hope
for Armenians, particularly since only one match is projected for every 200
donors.
Established in 1999, the ABMDR is an internationally accredited,
independent, non-governmental, non-profit organization and currently has
more than 150 patients in need of a transplant.
Founded by Dr. Frieda Jordan and Dr. Sevak Avagyan, the ABMDR is a member of
the World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA) and the World Marrow Donor
Worldwide (WMDW), and although it shares its database information with other
registries around the world, it still needs as many donors as it can
recruit.
It is not too late to become a donor, for all those interested, please visit
for further information.
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News from Armenia
3- Vocation Awards
The AMIC office in Yerevan, and Mrs. Lilit Ohanyan
([email protected]) both sent the following text. For any further
information, please contact Mrs. Ohanyan.
” The National Television of the Republic of Armenia which represents the
“Health” popular science, an informative educational medical program (aired
every Saturday, and repeated on Mondays and Fridays) and “Vocation” non-
governmental organization are currently engaged in the organization of the
“Vocation” national award, with the participation of the best physicians or
clinics of Armenia and the Diaspora, and the non medical professionals or
organizations who have made significant contributions to the development of
medicine.
Provisions of the “Vocation” Award
1. Award Description
“Vocation” is awarded to the best physicians or clinics, as well as to the
non-medical professionals or organizations that have made significant
contributions to the development of medicine.
1.2 Prize shall be awarded annually. Nominations do not carry over one year
to another. To be considered for a particular year, the candidates must be
nominated for that particular year.
The deadline for the submission of nominations is February 15, 2005.
1.3 Each prize presented to the laureate shall consist of a statuette, a
certificate
in the winner’s name containing the Award winning nomination, and
prize
amount (cash award)
1.4 A prize shall be awarded to the winner or winners of each category.
1.5 Cash prize shall be awarded to the winner at the presentation ceremony.
The cash award shall be divided in equal shares between all the winners in
case the nomination has more than one winner. Cash award cannot be awarded
posthumously (Posthumous rewarding may not include cash award).
2. “Vocation” Award Categories
2.1 For conducting a Unique Operation which saved a human life. Awarded to a
surgeon who conducted a unique operation of which, at least a year after the
operation, the remote results are known.
2.2 For the introduction of an innovative curative methodology. Awarded to
physicians for the development or implementation of a unique curative
methodology that shortens the treatment duration and/or makes it more
affordable
2.3 For generating a new diagnostic method. Awarded to physicians who have
generated a new diagnostic method. The prize shall be awarded at least in a
year after the implementation of the method.
2.4 For establishing a new discipline (direction) in medicine. Awarded to
physicians and clinics that have created new disciplines or services in the
field of medicine.
2.5 To representatives of fundamental sciences and non-medical professionals
for significant contributions in the medicine development. Awarded to
non-medical professionals for drug and medical equipment development and
implementation. All the developments shall have corresponding certificates
of conformity and undergo relevant trials.
2.6 For great devotion to the profession. Awarded to physicians who have at
least fifty years of medical practice and made significant contribution to
the development of the field.
2.7 A special prize awarded to physicians who deliver help to war, terrorist
act and natural misery victims. Awarded to physicians who rendered
(delivered) professional help under martial conditions, natural disasters
and terrorist acts.
2.8 The best medical clinic or staff
3. Award nominating order
3.1 The nominee for the award may be presented by a group of physicians or
one physician, a group of patients or one patient, an administration of
curative and preventive, educational or scientific medical institutions. It
is possible to self-nominate. The nominee may compete for only one category.
3.2 All the nominees shall fill in a special questionnaire confirmed by the
Board of Trustees. The questionnaires of the nominees competing for the
second, third, forth, and fifth categories shall enclose special
certificates, licenses and other credentials which confirm the
implementation of clinical trials and permit to use the methods in medical
practice.
3.3 Supplementary information about the health condition and location of the
operated patient shall be enclosed in case of competing for “the unique
operation” category.
3.4 The nominees for the sixth and seventh categories are introduced by the
Board of Trustees decision and shall not have an alternative. Each year this
nomination is awarded to a physician or physicians introduced by the Board
of Trustees.
4. Examination procedure.
4.1 The organizing committee delivers the questionnaires and relevant
credentials, received from the nominees to the “Vocation” award experts.
Upon the receipt of the first negative notice the nominee shall be dismissed
from any further participation to the contest.
4.2 Upon receiving the first positive notice the nominees undergo the
experts’ evaluation again. Upon receiving a negative notice during the
second evaluation the nominee is dismissed from further participation to the
contest as well.
4.3 Nominees who possess two positive notices undergo the third and the
final evaluation. During the third evaluation of the experts, the nominee is
dismissed from the contest upon receipt of a negative notice.
4.4 Nominees recommended for the sixth and seventh categories are exempt
from the experts’ evaluation.
5. Selection procedure of winners.
5.1 Only the nominees who possess three positive notices may participate in
the secret balloting for the winner’s selection.
5.2 The winners are selected by secret ballot from the members of the Board
of Trustees.
5.3 The Board of Trustees members have the right to vote only for one
participant in each category.
5.4 The results of the voting are promulgated during a special closed
session of the Board of Trustees.
5.5 The Board of Trustees reserves the right to grant the award to one of
the nominees or to share it between two persons in case both nominees
collect equal votes in the appropriate category.
5.6 The results of the voting shall not be announced before the official
ceremony of the “Vocation” award. Special envelops with the names of the
winners shall be opened during the presentation ceremony.
6. The Experts Panel Activities Order
6.1 The leading specialists of all the medical disciplines are recruited to
the composition of the Experts Panel.
6.2 The “Vocation” award organizing committee recruits the experts into the
Experts Panel activities.
7. The Board of Trustees Activities Order
7.1 The “Vocation” award organizing committee establishes the Board of
Trustees.
7.2 The Board of Trustees executes the final selection of the winners from
those nominees who have received three positive notices. The “Vocation”
award organizing committee reserves the right to make changes in the Board
of Trustees composition without stating the reasons.
7.3 The Chairman of the Board of Trustees is elected during the session of
the Board of Trustees by means of voting by show.
8. The “Vocation” Organizing Committee Activities Order
8.1 The “Vocation” award organizing committee disseminates the credential
package informing about the award and provides the rules of award
nomination. It also accepts the questionnaires of the nominees, submits them
to the experts evaluation, sends ballot papers to the Board of Trustees
members, calls off the Board of Trustees sessions.
8.2 The founders of the “Vocation” non-governmental organization shall
establish the “Vocation” award organizing committee.
8.3 The president of the “Vocation” non-governmental organization assigns
the “Vocation” award Chairman.
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4- The Armenian Medical Association
Since 2002, The Armenian Medical Association has been trying to raise the
overall standard of medicine in the Republic of Armenia. Founded by a small
group of progressive physicians in Armenia, the organization has been able
to build organizational infrastructure, set up an office, and in just the
last year alone has doubled their membership to over three hundred.
The organization is now composed of physicians from a broad background of
specialties from throughout the Republic of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh.
The organization gives its members a window into the international medical
community, greater insight into and a forum for discussing the medical
problems in Armenia and Armenian healthcare issues and sets standards for
good medical practice.
One of many ambitious efforts of the Armenian Medical Association is a
hypertension survey, which is currently being conducted throughout the
nation. The organization also provides a wonderful network for doctors to
become informed about informational conferences in Armenia and abroad,
sponsors the education of physicians, and provides short to long-term
internships for premedical and medical students of Armenian origin via
Birthright Armenia, a non-profit organization that hopes to create valuable
links between the Diaspora and Homeland in all sectors. Also, in 2005, the
Armenian Medical Association will release the first volume of the Armenian
Medical Journal, the first English-language medical journal to be published
in Armenia. This journal will hopefully provide a new standard of academic
works in Armenia. The journal will be peer-reviewed by an international
group of physicians and will be published bi-yearly.
While still a small organization, the Armenian Medical Association holds
great promise for the future of medicine in Armenia. The organization has
set itself up to take on many roles and may be the mechanism by which
resources can be more adequately supplied, medical issues can be more
readily addressed and the overall standard of healthcare in the Republic of
Armenia can be bettered.
For further information, please contact Dr. Yaghjyan ([email protected]) or
go to
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5- September- October 2004 Medical and Scientific Meetings in Armenia.
(Message received from Mrs. Ruslana Kevorkian from the Ministry of Health of
Armenia)
-22 September 2004: The third meeting of the
Transcaucasian countries’oncologists
took place in Yerevan. The Minister
of Health, Dr. N. Davitian presided the
meeting.
-24 September 2004: The Association of Stomatologists of
Armenia, with the help of the
International Federation of
Stomatologists, organized specialized
courses at the Medical Faculty, with
the collaboration of specialists from
Sweden and New York University
(Dr. Bedros Yavrou).
-27-28 September
2004: An International Forum of
Neurologists took place for the first
time in Armenia, honoring during one
of its sessions, the well known 75
years old Dr. Levon Badalyan.
Specialists from Russia, the United
States, Great Britain, Israel, Germany
were in attendance.
Presentations, discussions and new
methods of treatment of neurological
disorders were conducted.
11-13 October 2004: The Erebouni Medical Center
organized an International
Congress of Cardiology at the
Business Center of the American
University of Armenia. A cardiology
center has been operating at the
Erebouni Hospital for the last year,
under the direction of Dr. Vatche
Kasparian, who specialized in
Singapore (See Info-Flash No 1,
April 2003). Specialists from around
the world (Singapore, Monaco,
France, Spain, United States, Russia)
were present.
13-15 October 2004: The financial and medical management
of the health care services in Armenia
was examined during a two day
conference held at the Business
Center of the American University of
Armenia. Topics under discussion
included financial revenues, expenses
by specific services, the social
categories benefiting from the health
services, and the educational and
theoretical amendments to be
introduced.
6- What is AMIC?
The Armenian Medical International Committee was created fourteen years ago.
It is an umbrella organization that unites Armenian medical associations
throughout the Diaspora, creating thus a large network through which
information and data are exchanged.
AMIC organizes Armenian Medical World Congresses. So far eight have been
held in different cities of the Diaspora. In 2003, “The First International
Medical Congress of Armenia”, organized by Armenia, was held in Yerevan from
July 1 to July 3.
The 9th AMIC Congress will be held in 2005 (from June 29 to July 3), in San
Francisco (USA). You can have the latest news by visiting the website
AMIC publishes since 1998 an online newsletter and sends it freely to all
Armenian Health Care professionals. If you are a health care professional
and are interested in receiving Info-Flash, please send us your e-mail
address ([email protected]). To all those who already receive the Info, please do
not forget to send us your new e-mail address when you change it.
For further information, visit our website:
A useful information to remember: you can send freely from wherever you are
located, medical equipment/medicine through the services of the United
Armenian Fund; President Mr. Harout Sassounian ([email protected])
Note from the Editor:
This last issue of December 2004 of the Info-Flash was delayed, due to a
very bad flu of Info’s Editor, Aida Boudjikanian.
AMIC’s Executive President, Dr. Jean Arakelian, and Members, send to all the
Info-Flash readers their best wishes for a New and fruitful New Year.