9-26-2021
Please see below the latest updates on the AAMA activities for the past three weeks:
- I recently heard from Ani Aprahamian from the Physics Institute in Armenia that most of the machinery for the oxygen generation project has been delivered from Russia. There remains the compressor (on its way) to complete the $650,000+ project. The AAMA funded about 1/3 of the cost. Once operational, Armenia will have more than enough capacity to generate oxygen for the entire country.
- We recently had an advanced meeting with the US and Armenian HBO experts to put the final touches on the infrastructure needs to make the 2 HBO machines (one for Mikaelyan hospital in Armenia and the other for the Republican hospital in Artsakh) operational. I am hopeful the HBO program will be finally established before year’s end.
- The AAMA has identified an US trained primary care physician with many years of experience in mission work (including in Armenia) who is interested in traveling to Artsakh and offering primary health care (and possibly training the locals) in the towns and villages of Artsakh. We are engaged in meetings with Tufenkian foundation representatives in Armenia and Carolann Najarian with the goal of providing assistance to the limited availability of health care in Artsakh and its many villages. The Artsakh MOH is very receptive and eager to start the program and we are working on developing the job description.
- The AAMA is exploring potential collaborations with COAF which has a significant presence in different Marzes in rural Armenia. Two areas of common interest include: (a) possibilities of sending US med students and residents to the COAF-run health clinics and medical centers for 3-4 weeks elective rotations; (b) AAMA and other diaspora specialty and subspecialty support for the COAF primary care providers by telehealth.
- Our fall membership drive / happy hour that took place on Friday September 10 at Waltham Craft Food Hall was a big hit. We had about 45 AAMA members and friends, including a large contingent from our Armenian pharmacy colleagues attend. There was plenty of food, networking, and meeting new and old friends.
- The deadline for the AAMA scholarship applications is around the corner (10/31/2021). All medical students and allied health students are encouraged to apply. Please visit our website for more details: https://aamaboston.org/scholarship/
- We are very close to making a decision for placement of the second C-arm donated by the AAMA. We are deliberating between one of two hospitals in Yerevan and will hopefully have a final decision soon.
- We received confirmation from Gyumri medical center that one of the AAMA donated anesthesia machines has been received and is already being used for surgeries.
- The Association of Healthcare and Assistance to Older People (AHAOP), an Armenian NGO focusing on geriatric care is holding a symposium in Armenia next week on geriatric care, and our own Armen Arslanian, past AAMA president, will be a key symposium speaker.
- Please visit our website at www.aamaboston.org and enjoy all the upgrades and new features that we have incorporated. For new or current members, we ask that you pay your dues through the website electronically ($150 for licensed practitioners, $75 for residents and fellows, free for all students). This will give you access to other clinicians, volunteer opportunities, discounts on events, and other. Remember that the AAMA is a non-profit organization. All your donations, including payment of your dues, are tax-deductible. Most of your paid dues go to fund medical student and allied health student scholarships. We are also on FB, Instagram, and Twitter.
- Another important reminder that we (the AAMA) are registered with the Amazon Smile program. Every time you purchase an item from Amazon, provided you choose AAMA as your non-profit from the Amazon Smile website, a certain percentage of your purchase gets donated to AAMA. We now have over 218 members / friends on this mailing list. The dollars add up. Please remember to make use of this program while shopping on Amazon.
- The 1st Dr. Raffy Hovanessian International Digestive Disease Virtual Conference took place on September 11-12. This conference was made possible by the International Center for Professional Development (ICPD). AAMA is one of the ICPD donors. Our own AAMA board member, Raffi Karagozian, was one of the conference speakers / organizers.
- If any of you are interested in being more actively involved with any of the AAMA activities above, or should you have an idea / project you would like to undertake or a donation to make, please reach out to me and we will get you more involved and support you as best we can.
With respect
Vatche’
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