AGBU Donates Twelve New Ultrasound Machines to Armenia and Javakhk

YEREVAN, Armenia - In an official ceremony held on March 6, 2007 at the Jefferson Ultrasound Training Center, AGBU, on behalf of AGBU Trustee Nazar Nazarian, donated 12 ultrasound machines at a cost of $290,000 to state health establishments of the Republic of Armenia and the predominantly Armenian region of Javakhk in neighboring Georgia.

The machines will be donated to the Sisian Hospital, ARS Mother and Child Health Center of Akhuryan, St. Grikor Lusavorich Hospital and Maternity House in Yerevan, Akhalkalak Hospital, Berd Hospital, Nairi Hospital of Yeghvart, "Gracia" international reconstructive center of the Armenian Red Cross, Cardio and Radiology departments of Yerevan State Medical University's #1 Hospital, as well as to the Jefferson Ultrasound Training Center in Yerevan. Included on the list of recipients for these hi-tech machines are parts of the republic where there is no such modern equipment, as well as Javakhk.

These machines ensure quick and secure diagnoses of diseases in the early stage. Ultrasound is a safe and relatively inexpensive method for imaging the body. These ultrasound machines have color Doppler capability, which enables specialists to make state-of-art diagnoses of a wide array of diseases involving blood vessels, the heart, and other internal organs.

"The main advantage of these machines is that it is possible to ensure two new examinations, cardiographic and vascular, as well as provide emergency assistance to people with fractures and unconscious patients," said Head of the Yerevan State Medical University Radiology Chair, Dr. Andreas Hambardzumian.

"Last year we donated 10 such machines to the health establishments of Yerevan and the regions of Goris and Kapan, as well as Karabakh. The program will continue and be regularly renewed," said Ashot Ghazarian, AGBU Armenian Representation Director.

The doctors that will work with these machines in the future undergo training courses in the Jefferson Ultrasound Training Center under the supervision of its co-directors Dr. Andreas Hambardzumian and Dr. Hmayak Sissakian and with the participation of specialists from the United States. The new ultrasound-trained doctors will not only acquire the skills necessary to work with the machines, but also get acquainted with innovations in the fields of tomography, sonography and echocardiography. Experienced doctors also receive instruction in ultrasound research. It is worth noting that the Center is regularly updated with a vast array of academic materials (journals, videos, etc.) that arrive from abroad.

The Ultrasound Center will help maintain the connection between the hospitals that received the machines and the doctors that received training to work on them. Regular follow-up courses and consultations will be organized to keep them current and informed.

During the press conference, Ghazarian noted that the initial idea for the Ultrasound Center originated with Dr. Levon Nazarian, Professor of Radiology and Vice Chairman for Education at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and was facilitated with generous funding provided by Nazar Nazarian, formerly treasurer of the AGBU Central Board of Directors and currently a member of the organization's newly formed Board of Trustees. Recently, Dr. Nazarian became a member of AGBU's Central Board of Director.

Yerkir Media TV company (www.yerkirtv.org) has placed its video material of the above-mentioned distribution ceremony on its Internet site, and it can be viewed (in Armenian) at the following URL: http://www.yerkirtv.org/UserFiles/news/arm/1398_20070306.25arm.wmv.

Established in 2000, Yerevan's Jefferson Ultrasound Training Center was founded as a joint venture of Yerevan State Medical University, Jefferson Ultrasound Research and Education Institute of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA, and AGBU. More than 100 doctors and medical internship program students from Armenia, India, Pakistan and Russia have completed training courses at the Ultrasound Center.