Dear colleagues, We are pleased to inform you that a Pediatric Radiology symposium will be held at "Arabkir" MC-ICAH as part of the Open Medical Institute project on March 7th and 9th.   We are honored to have Professor Erich Sorantin, the head of the Department of Pediatric Radiology at Graz University Hospital in Austria, as our guest speaker. Professor Sorantin will also be leading a practical course on joint ultrasound.   To participate, please register via this link: https://forms.gle/ZpjnnhEjppwwbUvE7   We look forward to seeing you at the symposium.

  Professor Oleg Rummo and his team from the Minsk Scientific and Practical Center of Surgery, Transplantology and Hematology, paid another visit to the “Arabkir” Medical Complex. The primary focus of our 4-year cooperation is children’s liver transplantation. Besides discussing the details of new surgeries, the team also met with previously operated patients and their parents, evaluating the children’s condition.    The patient operated on during this visit was 14-year-old Rafael Khachinyan. The boy was diagnosed with liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and transplantation was indicated. The operation went successful, and Rafael is now in the post-operative recovery phase. His family is from the Tsaghkavan village in Tavush region. The total cost of operation was 19 million AMD, of which 5 million AMD was provided by the government, and the remaining 14 million was raised through the fundraising organized by the “Heath Fund for Children of Armenia”.    We are grateful for our patients, including Rafael, and all kind people who have contributed to this cause. Your donations have helped our children, their families and doctors in their difficult journey. Your support is truly invaluable. 

  Mane Tadevosyan is one of our young neurologists, who was on a medical mission in Artsakh with the head of the neurology service, Biayna Sukhudyan, and became trapped there due to a blockade. She believes that the future of our country lies in working in our homeland and for it”. To learn more about Mane and her work, watch the video by “The Future Armenian” project featuring her. 

The Armenian State Symphony Orchestra and the “Havat” NGO of hard hearing children’s mothers’ combine their efforts towards the mission of creating public values. A memorandum of cooperation was signed between the parties. They will work together to contribute to the socialization of children with hearing impairment, full and effective inclusion of hearing impaired youth in all spheres of public life.   The partnership will be aimed at projects implemented for the purpose of purchasing hearing aids and treatment, to give children the ability to perceive and appreciate the beauty of sound through their hearing. The joint programs will also aim to introduce classical music to hearing impaired children and adolescents. Children with hearing problems were also present at the event and presented their musical, dancing and reciting performances.    The Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra Sergey Smbatyan highlighted the fact that the challenges faced by children with hearing impairment are also challenges for the orchestra. "We all want to build a better society with healthy communication, and it's important that the children here today become our listeners in the future and are able to enjoy the music of the orchestra," said Maestro Smbatyan.   Karine Harutyunyan, a representative of the "Havat" NGO, added: "Musicians represent Armenia to the world through their hearing. Our children need to enter the world, but their hearing is not as good as we would like as parents. Even if the children here today do not become musicians, we want to ensure that they become good people, and we hope that our friendship with the Symphony Orchestra will help to achieve this."   The “Havat” NGO of hearing impaired children’s parents has been operating since 1996 in close proximity to the audiology center of the medical center, where more than 1000 children adolescents aged 0-18 with hearing impairment who live in Armenia are registered.  The scientific head of the “Arabkir” Medical Center Ara Babloyan noted that our main goal is for children to be relaxed and maximally included in society. The signed memorandum is aimed at that goal. The musicians of the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, in turn, presented beautiful musical performances to the children, as well as gifts, including Dan Brown’s illustrated book “Wild Symphony”.    Check out the video via the link. 

Armenian doctors from all over the world are uniting for Artsakh. They’ve created the Artsakh Humanitarian Support Initiative led by Professor Ara Babloyan.    “A human is human, no matter where he is: in Artsakh, Russia, France, the USA or Africa, and has the same rights everywhere. And the people of Artsakh have the right to live and work in their ancestral lands”. Listen to the interview of Professor Babloyan and members of the initiative Hambardzum Simonyan and Aramayis Galumyan on the “Esquisses” (“Sketches”) program of the Artsakh Public TV company.  

"Arabkir" Medical Center is hiring a night cashier-registrar.  Working hours: 17:00 - 09:00. Shift: every 3 days /one day at work, two days at home/. Computer knowledge and skills are required, prior work experience is desirable for this position.  Send your CV and motivational letter to [email protected] .

Ara Babloyan and Hambardzum Simonyan, members of the Artsakh Humanitarian Support Initiative, met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Artsakh Sergey Ghazaryan.   

Marine Grigoryan was invited to the “I am healthy” program of the Public Radio of Armenia. She is the head of the Diagnostic Radiology Service of “Arabkir” MC. The doctor talked about computed tomography, explained what kind of examination it is, about its indications and effectiveness in diagnosis and evaluation of different diseases and about the differences between computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Find out more about this modern diagnostic method, as well as about other methods of diagnostic radiology.

Dear parents, listen to the “Armenpress” podcast with Sergey Sargsyan, the head of the “Arabkir” MC - Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, Pediatrics Advisor of the Ministry of Health. Protect your children from viruses with the simplest and easiest methods, recognize the signs of acute respiratory infections, remember “do’s” and “don'ts” and stay in touch with your pediatrician.

The only person in Armenia living with a heart transplant is receiving follow-up care at the “Follow-up care department for organ transplanted patients” at “Arabkir” MC. The department is unique in the country; it serves all patients with kidney and liver transplants, as well as the hero of this “Sputnik Armenia” article, Yeghishe, who has a heart 20 years younger than him. We wish you health!

May the sky be peaceful over your heads, wherever you are, may everyone with health problems be healed, and everyone’s cherished dream come true with the Christmas miracle.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

It’s a tradition at “Arabkir” MC to sum up the year with the presentation of interesting medical cases. There were many outstanding clinical cases this year, but, according to the format of the event, each department and service can present only one case. The specialists compare the case with similar cases that have happened both during their and international colleagues’ practices. They talk about the given pathology and answer questions that arise.  The event is traditionally organized by the AYPA (Arabkir Young Physicians Association) and the prizes given were no less remarkable.  The team of “Arabkir” MC doctors wishes health and peace to everyone sparing no effort for the recovery of patients.

Santa’s helpers have started visiting our little patients at “Arabkir” MC.  One of them, who looked so much like a real Santa, along with his helpers from the DAA hospital  school went around the departments, handing out gifts, talking and cheering up the children in the hospital.    The second helper also came with presents. He came to the Speech development center with the snow maiden, listened to children’s poems and were happy that the children were speaking clearly.  The children asked the most questions to the other helper, who visited the kindergarten. They tried to find out whether he came from Lapland and why he came without the snow maiden. After they sang in different languages and received the long-awaited presents.

The resuscitation team of “Arabkir” MC is transporting the 4-month-old baby, who is in critical condition, from Artsakh to “Muratsan” Hospital Complex, Armenia with a critical care car.    The transportation of the child from Artsakh to Armenia became possible thanks to the cooperation of the Ministries of Health of Armenia and Artsakh, the Red Cross Society, “Arevik” Children's Hospital in Stepanakert and “Arabkir” Medical Center. The child was in serious condition for several days in “Arevik” Children’s Hospital and was diagnosed with leishmaniasis.    Thank you to all the devotees who helped to transport the baby to Armenia and to those who work in Artsakh to save children’s lives.

The pediatric neurology service of “Arabkir” MC, with the head of the service Biayna Sukhudyan went to “Arevik” Children’s Hospital in Stepanakert the day before the blockade of Artsakh. Our doctors were visiting Artsakh again, as part of the “Doctors for Artsakh” project by the Fund for Armenian Relief, in cooperation with “Arabkir” MC and “Arevik” Children’s Hospital.  https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=697527118668200&extid=CL-UNK-UNK-UNK-AN_GK0T-GK1C&mibextid=6IxyOt&ref=sharing   [Biayna Sukhudyan, pediatric neurologist, Arabkir MC] We came here on the 11th and starting from our first working day there was a blockade.   [CivilNet] Biayna Sukhudyan is a neurologist, the head of the pediatric neurology and epileptology service of Arabkir MC, Yerevan. She moved to Artsakh and has since been unable to return to Armenia. Biayna and a group of enthusiastic pediatric neurologists have been visiting Artsakh for health-related consultations on a regular basis since the end of the war.  Now, as the Azerbaijani blockade of the Goris-Stepanakert highway enters the 12th day, she is trapped in Artsakh along with 120.000 other people. Her main concern is the lack of basic medication.    [Biayna Sukhudyan, pediatric neurologist, Arabkir MC] We have seen many acute and chronic conditions, when children are in need of medications which do not exist here, for example painkillers, some antibiotics and antiseizure drugs , which are very important for children with epilepsy. Sooner or later we will have a shortage of baby formula.    [CivilNet] 120.000 people, including 3000 children, remain under a blockade. Families remain separated.   [Ruben Vardanyan, State Minister of Artsakh] We should be ready for this reality and should not lie to ourselves. As the State Minister and the head of the operational headquarters we’ve discussed various solutions for this situation and before making any decision I want to discuss the opportunities and listen to your opinion.    [Biayna Sukhudyan, pediatric neurologist, Arabkir MC] We kept one infant with visceral leishmaniasis. If it was before the blockade, the child would definitely be transferred to Armenia.    [CivilNet] The shelves of grocery and drug stores are half empty. 29 patients including 8 children are under intensive care. Some of them need to be immediately transferred to Armenia to receive timely medical treatment.

After the closure of Artsakh-Armenia vital road, lots of children from Artsakh haven’t been able to return home. Today Ara Babloyan, the scientific head of the “Arabkir” Medical Center, Nina Arikyants, the medical director of the “Arabkir” Medical Center, Mariam Hakhverdyan, pediatrician and Armen Martirosyan, the director of the “Health Fund for Children of Armenia”, visited the wonderful children.    The children are students of Stepanakert music school who came to Yerevan to participate in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Some of them are athletes with serious successes. They talked about their dreams, the most important of which at the moment is to return home and reunite with their families.    Enjoy the performances full of love and longing of little singers, who already have become popular.

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Dear Pediatricians,   Congratulations on your professional day and thank you for your dedication and warmth, for your efforts and professional help towards children’s health. Your work is priceless. Stay healthy and happy with your families.

“We must pay special attention to children’s health. Not because we have warmer inclinations towards them, but to understand whether we are going to healthcare or to treatment. Today we must unite and create a system, which will continue to develop pediatrics, in order to ensure our future, the health of our nation”: Ara Babloyan Read about “Pediatrics and Geriatrics: Two “giants” of medicine, modern problems and solutions” international conference, that took place at YSMU.

The management and the entire staff of “Arabkir” Medical Complex express their deep concerns and indignation on the occasion of what happened to the doctor and the security guard at Muratsan University Hospital yesterday.   Violence against a doctor or other medical worker is reprehensible behavior and continues to tarnish our society, regardless of any circumstances.    Dear citizens, do not allow yourself to behave like this, control your emotions, especially in medical institutions, where devoted people work for your and your  relatives’ health.

World Diabetes Day was launched in 1991 and is celebrated on November 14, the day Frederick Bunting was born. He played a crucial role in the discovery of insulin. This is an occasion to once again talk about diabetes, its prevention and how to live with it.    According to the World Health Organization more than 415 million people have diabetes. It is predicted that by 2030 this number will increase to 551 million. The number of diabetic patients in Armenia is 110.000, 800 of them are children. This number is three times more than in the early 2000s. This has various reasons, among which the role of coronavirus and stress in recent years is significant. It is good that together with the morbidity numbers increasing, mortality rate has decreased by 3 times.  Doctors recommend checking blood glucose levels regularly and see a specialist in case of any changes. To prevent diabetes, proper lifestyle is important: physical inactivity and obesity are the main risk factors of diabetes.  The Endocrinology Service of “Arabkir” Medical Complex also serves patients with diabetes. Remember, that competent and proper control of diabetes is the most important thing in living with this pathology and maintaining the patient’s quality of life. 

Beautiful Khadija is from Algeria. She came to “Arabkir” MC by mediation of the Association for Bladder Exstrophy Community /ABEC/ and a longtime friend of our surgical team, Professor Paul A. Merguerian from Seattle Children’s Hospital.    25 year old Khadija was born with bladder exstrophy and has had surgeries, however, urinary incontinence persisted, causing a number of social and psychological problems. To solve the problem, the Monti-Mitrofanoff procedure was performed increasing urinary bladder capacity with intestinal segment. We are pleased to inform, that the operation and post-operative period went well and Khadija returned home last night, free of psychological and social difficulties she said she had before coming to “Arabkir”. The President of ABEC interviewed Khadija about her experience, how one “search” on Facebook changed her life, bringing her from Algeria to Armenia and giving the girl, in her words, a freedom that is dearer than anything.     Thank you, dear doctors!

“Our problems are general and our future should be united”: This edition of the “Inside Look” program of the Public Television of Artsakh was with Ara Babloyan.   Thank you, dear colleagues!

Yesterday an article - “Are Anahit Avanesyan and “Wigmore” Clinic connected by business interests? The opening of a new hospital is risky for the pediatric field” was posted on Oragir.news, where “Arabkir” Medical Complex was mentioned. On this occasion a number of journalists asked us questions, such as “why the minister hadn’t stopped the construction of a new clinic”, “why the specialists are “poached”, “what do we think about the opening of a new clinic”. We will answer those questions here. First of all, we would like to remind or inform you that the minister cannot prevent the opening of any new clinic in any way. In the RA, the economic order and the rights of the providers of medical care and services are determined by the Constitution of the RA and by the Law on Medical care and services, which guarantee freedom of economic activity, free economic competition and the right to provide medical care and services upon obtaining a license in a prescribed manner.  The Ministry has the right to inspect the quality of provided medical services and its compliance with standards, regardless of the medical institution’s status. If the services do not meet the standards, the ministry can suspend the license of the medical institution, and if they do, the ministry can “order” or “not order” services from the clinic, or “place a state order or not”. Thus, the relationship between the Ministry, as a state body, and the organizations providing medical services were listed above. Speaking about “poaching specialists” from “Arabkir”, we would like to inform, that specialists for the new clinic were recruited not only from “Arabkir”, but from other pediatric institutions of the country as well. In addition, this issue should also be given an objective assessment: specialists may have different goals and they may change their workplace to reach them. A part of them has no desire to treat the insolvent class of society, and wants to treat the solvent only, a part seeks to be able to earn more with less efforts, and the other part wants to move even further and take responsibility for well-organized services.  In all respects, “Arabkir” Medical Complex is proud to be the professional “source” in the field of pediatrics, where young physicians are specialized and can work in other medical institutions after completing their specialization. We can definitely emphasize that those, who, roughly said, aim to “make money” and not to treat people, do not correspond to the ideology of “Arabkir”.  As for the creation of a new pediatric medical institution and the emergence of new competitive challenges, our approach is unequivocal: if it leads to the improvement of the quality and accessibility of provided services, then it will correspond to our main goal. And if it leads to the increased cost of services, then the population itself will decide where to go.  We have spoken out many times and continue to insist that between the children’s medical institutions operating today, in particular, between 3 well-known clinics, cooperation rather than competition prevails. The competition is healthy and is aimed at service improvement.  We hope the newly opened clinic will choose that path as well, because no medical institution alone can fully solve all the problems that arise during its operation.

On October 28 and 29, the Dr. Edgar Housepian 1st Clinical Neuroscience Symposium on the topic “Epilepsy” took place. The symposium was held online, which was attended by about 600 physicians and medical professionals from all over the world: Bulgaria, Canada, USA, Armenia and others. The symposium was headed by Biayna Sukhudyan, head of the Neurology and Neurosurgery service of “Arabkir” MC. 12 lectures were presented in 6 sessions and after each session there was an extensive professional discussion.    The Ministry of Health of the RA will give 6 Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits to participants. Edgar Housepian was a famous American-Armenian neurosurgeon and beneficent. The Neurology and Neurosurgery service at “Arabkir” MC was named after him.    Watch the video filmed on the occasion of the symposium, about Professor Edgar Housepian and the Neurology and Neurosurgery service of “Arabkir” MC. 

With the invitation of the gastroenterology and endoscopic services of "Arabkir" MC Professor Christian Braegger, the head of the  gastroenterology and nutrition service of the Children's Hospital Zurich visited "Arabkir" MC. Professor's workshop was about "Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) placement in children", which was attended by specialists not only from "Arabkir" MC, but by specialists from "Surb Astvatsamayr" MC and "Muratsan" Hospital Complex as well.  With the direct participation of Professor Braegger, 5 PEG placement interventions were performed on children with neurological disorders that have difficulties with swallowing (dysphagia), therefore, with oral feeding.    PEG is one of the most common methods in the field of pediatric gastroenterology. It is a quick and effective procedure and helps not only to avoid the complications of malnutrition, but also to improve the life quality of the patients and their caregivers.  The necessity of PEG is decided by the multidisciplinary team.

Our Swiss partners were in “Arabkir” MC again, in the framework of the Continuous Professional Development Program for nurses. The participants were greeted by Marlise Fleurie, Member of the Board of Directors of “Semra Plus” Foundation and responsible for educational programs, and Amalya Martirosyan, the president of Nursing Council of “Arabkir” MC-ICAH, coordinator of nursing educational programs.   The topics of this 3-day professional training were related to hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis in acute and chronic kidney failure, as well as the functions of nurses working in hemodialysis and emergency departments, skills for applying theoretical knowledge in practice, communication with the multidisciplinary team and with patients and their relatives, and proper resolutions in conflict situations.  The course on hemodialysis was conducted by Audrey Schneider and Aude Schwarz, nurse-lecturers from the Hemodialysis Department of the cantonal hospital of Jura, Switzerland. Manon Gigandin and Antony Racin exchanged practical skills with the nurses of the Reception and Emergency Department. Almost 20 nurses participated in this training program. By order of the Minister of Health of the RA, participants and lecturers Audrey Schneider and Aude Schwarz received 9 theoretical and 2 practical credits for continuous professional development.    To summarize the training, Marlise Fleurie met Ara Babloyan, the scientific director of “Arabkir” MC, professor. They discussed further cooperation programs as well.   

Health is the most precious asset of a person, and education is freedom.  Dear students, from kindergarten to university and postgraduate, who are our patients, we will help you to preserve your most valuable asset - your health, while you study and self-educate, and enjoy the joy of freedom. Thank you to all teachers, lecturers and good luck to all of you.  

THE HOME OF KINDNESS AND JOY   The Health Camp by “Arabkir” MC in Aparan was reopened after COVID restrictions and it has brought joy to children. They say that the camp became a home for them.    Huge thanks to the Swiss “Semra” Foundation and “Arabkir” United Children’s Charity Foundation for supporting the third shift.   In this video the campers and their parents talk about the days spent in beautiful Aparan and note that this is a special place, where everyone is sincere and full of love. 

I can hear now, thank you!    This is the video about this year՚s mission of the “Armenia Hearing Aid Project” initiative: one week of intensive work in Gyumri and Yerevan, hundreds of smiles on the faces of people, who have regained the ability of hearing, volunteers, who tell about their unforgettable emotions and, of course, a united team, that works all year round, providing aftercare services to beneficiaries.   The program has been implemented since 2017 in cooperation with the “Arabkir” United Children’s Charity Foundation, the “Arabkir” Medical Complex and the Starkey Hearing Foundation.    Thank you, dear benefactors, thank you to the founders, supporters and partners of this initiative.  

The fourth liver transplant on a child was performed yesterday in “Arabkir” Medical Complex by our team and Belarusian partners. Doctors avoid talking about the results of such complex operations, because, as they say, the operation is only the half of the job and the postoperative period is important as well. According to professor Rummo, despite all the difficulties that these complex operations have, the surgical part was successful and the data of the first day allows us to be optimistic about the results. “Arabkir” MC thanks the whole transplant team, our colleagues from the State Institution “Minsk Scientific and Practical Center for Surgery, Transplantology and Hematology” and Health Fund for the Children of Armenia (HFC Armenia), supporters, the Ministry of Health of the RA, MoH of Artsakh Rep. for combining efforts and helping the little kid from Artsakh.    #livertransplant #ArabkirMC #MinskScientificPracticalCenterforSurgeryTransplantionandHematology #լյարդիփոխպատվաստում #ԱրաբկիրԲՀ

Our colleagues from Belarus in the field of liver transplant, headed by professor Oleg Rummo, are back in “Arabkir” MC. Today they met already operated patients and their parents, assessed childrens’ condition and gave medical advice to patients, who, according to Armenian colleagues, need liver transplant.    By the way, the photos of professor Rummo and professor Babloyan are taken by Michael, one of our little patients, who has had a liver transplant.