"Glasses for Armenia" charitable project launches in Shirak Marz
The Union of Armenian Doctors of France (UMAF), in cooperation with "Shen" NGO, has been implementing projects in the rural communities of Armenia for years. The purpose of the projects is to identify and solve the health problems of rural residents. This year, the "Glasses for Armenia" charity project carries the slogan "Let's see well to grow up well." It aims to detect visual problems of children aged 4-14 and provide them with glasses as needed.
On March 21-23, French-Armenian doctors Levon Artinyan and Petros Ohanyan visited Shirak Marz from France. They started the first phase of the project. The doctors had meetings with Leili Aslanyan, the head of the health and social security department of the Shirak governor's office, Ruzanna Avetisyan, an ophthalmologist at "Gyumri Mother and Child Austrian Hospital" CJSC, and specialists of the optical service in Gyumri. During the meetings, the doctors presented the project details. They discussed the ophthalmological problems in the region and the high rates of visual pathology among children.
The training of nurses took place next. The municipal governments of Amasiya and Ani and the Department of Education, Culture, and Sports of Shirak Marz supported the organization of the courses. 18 nurses from 17 settlements of the Amasia consolidated community and 15 nurses from 15 settlements of the Ani consolidated community participated in the training. In the theoretical phase of the course, the nurses got acquainted with the importance of early detection of visual problems in children and primary examination techniques and then tried to examine them in practice. The willingness and sense of responsibility of all the participating nurses to the priority of the problem were encouraging.
Trained nurses will perform a primary examination for all children aged 4-14 in their communities in April. Children with problems will undergo a professional examination by French-Armenian ophthalmologists in Shirak Marz in August. If necessary, UMAF will provide the children with glasses. All screenings and services are voluntary, with parental consent, and free of charge.
