A Swedish couple in 25th year of Armenia involvement
by Ashkhen Bakhchinyan
Published: Sunday March 31, 2013
The Strömbergs.
YEREVAN – Over the years following the devastating earthquake of 1988
in Armenia, Margaret and Ulf Strömbergs have become attached to
Armenia and Armenians, contributing greatly to healthcare reforms in
the country.
Margaret is a nurse and healthcare management specialist. She has held
a number of managerial positions at Swedish Jonköping hospital over
the last 25 years, has been responsible for the rights of medical
staff, healthcare quality and organizational issues, and has also
ensured cooperation between higher medical Institutions and different
healthcare companies in a regional level. Ulf is a highly proficient
pedagogue and has worked for years as a manager in the educational
sphere of their region, where there is a high percent of refugees.
They have two children and six grandchildren.
-How did you first come to know Armenia and Armenians?
-This was after Spitak’s earthquake. I received an offer from a number
of Swedish charity organizations to leave for Armenia and find out on
spot what assistance was required. We were sent to number 4 Children’s
Hospital. There were injured children all around and also children who
had lost one or both of their parents or all their relatives. I saw
children who had lost their hands and feet and also patients with
injuries of internal organs. By a call of my heart I caught the
glimpse of a blue-eyed child, approached and took his hand and felt
divine calling to work with those children.
-Who is your sponsor and what do you signify in this work?
-We are sponsored by Swedish church and PMU InterLife Company, which
helped to receive financing from SIDA (Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency). At first we had planned to acquire
necessary medical devices and products, but after a while we realized
that exchange of experience was much more important. And nowadays our
cooperation is geared first of all to this end. The exchange of
experience and knowledge between Armenian and Swedish medical
professionals was a kind of a pillar for those who were ready to
contribute to Armenian healthcare reforms. The trainings were first of
all aimed at change in attitude towards both adult and children
patients in such a way, as to make the medical treatment fully comply
with guiding principles underpinning the UN Convention on the Right of
the Child. Owing to support of Swedish specialists we were able to
eliminate a number of drawbacks in various spheres, enhance the
knowledge and treatment level, get informed of up-to-date research
results and new, cost effective treatment methods. Children diabetes,
toxicology, child infections and prescription of antibiotics are the
spheres we have mostly prioritized.
-I think you have much to boast. Game therapy and other similar ideas
were then a novelty in Armenia …
-In 2004 the first game therapy ward was opened at “our” hospital.
Since then therapy wards are a must at every children hospital in
Armenia. Here during their stationary treatment children can
completely forget about their illness, feel free, draw and play and
get rid of fear. It is also easier for doctors to find the right
approach to every patient by means of closer contact with them in this
ward. Subsequently on the basis of this the family center was
established where specialists worked united to form a clear picture of
a health status of each patient, simultaneously addressing the needs
of their families. Today family centers operate in six regions of
Armenia. Such centers focus on prevention of illness, promotion and
keeping of health. They involve the family as an organic whole.
Participation of various specialists and their teamwork forms an
important part of our training programs. The treatment of diabetic
children was also a novelty here. Before that they were treated like
invalids. A wrong public opinion was mould that diabetic children
should not receive insulin. However when people saw that those
children who were injected insulin and had right diet and physical
activity were practically healthy many changes took place in their
medical treatment, as well as school and family lives.
-In fact you decided teaching people to fish, instead of giving fish to eat.
-Yes, at the beginning the help was more material, afterwards we
focused on educational programs and exchange of experience. We made it
possible for Armenian doctors and nurses to attend 6 times Jonköping
International clinical micro system festival, where they became aware
of world medical innovations, the latest scientific research findings
and various healthcare reform models. To make a progress often
requires less sophisticated techniques. Application of just a few
simple devices, simple investigations and result analysis are often
enough. Prevention of healthcare-associated infections cuts down
healthcare expenses drastically and saves time. Keeping to simple
basic hygiene rules reduces food poisoning cases. These are common and
available examples leading to improvement in this sphere. From
1996-2008 32 future nurses visited Sweden to participate in Jonköping
college training program. One nurse has earned a bachelor’s degree in
nursing and two of them became holders of master’s degrees. 10 medical
practitioners have visited Ryhov Provincial hospital in Jonköping.
Some of the nurses took an initiative for caring about 40 homeless
children. Today the issues of homeless children are addressed by a
separate program managed by one of the nurses who has accomplished our
training course. We have one more program which is aimed at finding
new basis in life for people with social and family problems and drug
and alcohol addiction.
-What challenges did you face?
-Around 20 years ago English-speaking people were few in Armenia.
These were tough years for the country. Conflict with Azerbaijan, the
breakup of the USSR, water and electricity supply cut offs and absence
of basic life conditions naturally effected medical treatment quality
and life of people in general. In those years there were too many
hospital beds per capita in Yerevan with plenty of medical staff.
Hospital number 4 was under the danger of either closing or turning
into a military hospital. We have not once sent letters to government
authorities urging them to take into consideration the investments
made by Sweden for reconstruction of the hospital. Thanks to donations
the heat and electricity system, the floor and the bathroom units of
the hospital have already been reconstructed. Today it’s a leading
children’s hospital with up-to-date equipments, and highly specialized
professionals.
-What are the tangible results of your activity?
-Unfortunately no systematic reports were made at that time and we
have a few statistical data to show you definite results in figures.
However there is much progress in treatment of diabetes and toxicosis,
and the number of child deaths and abortions in rural areas has
decreased. Family issues and the rights of children are discussed more
openly. We trust in the power of education, it can change the
situation. Competent approach to problems alone can ward off numerous
calamities. The cases when children were poisoned by drinking petrol
or ammonia out of bottles which looked like a soft drink were very
frequent at that time. Today toxicology department can immediately
contact Swedish Poisons Information Centre and receive any type of
information they are interested in. We pay a great attention to
teamwork. Every single specialist is equally important for us. Today
much more people realize that quality-wise treatment requires unified
actions of various specialists, whose professionalism, in its turn, is
greatly elevated in the work environment.
-How do you evaluate the situation today?
-Yerevan has become a modern city with cutting edge department stores,
restaurants and expensive cars. New high rise buildings with empty
flats stand in the city centre, but behind this glamorous veil the
vast majority of population faces serious social, economic and
ecological problems. Regions and villages lag decades behind the
cities. We should encourage people’s hope in future and give everyone
an opportunity to partake in social life. Unfortunately corruption and
mafia have penetrated into all spheres of life. Although additional
investments have greatly contributed to significant rise in healthcare
quality over these years, many hospitals have been repaired and fitted
out with state-of-the-art equipment, the medical staff is not ready to
cooperation and teamwork yet, there is a strict hierarchy among
various specialists, and very often warm and humane approaches to
treatment of patients, which are most important elements in treatment
are neglected. Medical practitioners themselves are often unwilling to
believe and participate in medical reforms. No doubt the working
conditions in which nurses operate are often abnormal. Nobody can stay
alert 24 hours a day and ensure productivity. But who really cares
about their working conditions if not themselves? It’s time they
adapted their work schedules to EU work scheduling principles.
Luckily, however, we have also met such enthusiastic persons, who put
forth great efforts to further the development and gain knowledge to
enhance their own work quality.
-What’s the difference between Sweden and Armenia and what are the
most serious obstacles on the road of Armenia’s development?
-The differences are numerous and include democracy level, public
participation, social justice, social system and tax policy
differences. In Sweden the law is the same for everyone. The whole
system operates in a way as to ensure everybody’s right to education,
work and access to healthcare. A serious obstacle on the path of
development is that the wealthy accumulate their wealth at the expense
of the poor. In the course of our activity we often focus on
democratic issues even in the small groups of society. We need to
shape a conscious civil society. People should realize that no changes
are possible without there direct participation and support. Men shall
be encouraged to express their opinion freely. Rational implementation
of available resources fosters development. It’s not by chance that
the healthcare system of Sweden focuses first of all on preventive
measures and even a kindergarten child is taught the value of saving.
-How would you describe Armenians?
-The impressions of our first days in Armenia almost haven’t changed.
Armenians are gracious, gregarious and complaisant. We have made
friends with whom we communicate till now. They are hospitable and
hurry to help you instead of waiting for you to ask for help.
Unfortunately many Armenians don’t see positive perspectives in their
own country. They are sure that they are powerless to alter anything
in their life. And exactly this disposition towards life hinders their
development mostly. Depression leads to hopelessness and laziness.
-How has Armenia influenced you personally?
-We have learnt a lot during these years. To me, communication with
other nations enriches a person spiritually. You gain insight into
your own culture, suddenly beginning to see it in another light. It
was an unusual experience for us; another psychology, an unusual
family structure, where people of two or more generations lived
together. Our entire family, relatives and many of our friends are
enrolled in the aid process. During our family gatherings, for
instance, we collect money for the needs of the hospital and other
projects.
-Can charity be called a national trait?
-We believe that charity, environmental protection and participation
in social life are part of our Christian belief. You feel really happy
when you share your knowledge and possibilities with others knowing
that doing so you can change their lives. You want to make your own
contribution to the solution of even a smallest issue. Some people see
the meaning of their life in charity. Our friends have been helping a
family from Spitak for years. Some of our friends collected money and
bought a cow for a large, deprived family from Aparan region of
Armenia and since then have been providing them continuous support (we
became aware of the family from your newspaper).
Summing up let us mention one more important factor. Our work could
not have been so productive without our devoted, local friends,
people, who have done enormous work with loving care. We owe them a
great deal for our work’s continuity, rejoice together for a slightest
success and jointly correct the errors we make on our way.
From: Baghdasarian
http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2013-03-31-a-swedish-couple-in-25th-year-of-armenia-involvement