Armenian children from remote villages are in need of medical treatment
“He used to cry so often, I didn’t know what to do. Then I took him to the doctor and learned that he had also hernia. They told me it was very small and medical intervention wasn’t necessary. Now it has grown considerably and causes him a lot of trouble,” said Gor’s mother, 24 year old Anjela Nakgdalyan.
Gor’s home is in Pambak village, 46 km from Vardenis town in the Gegharkunik region, North-Eastern Armenia, an area included in World Vision Area Development Programme. Vardenis and its surrounding villages are located on the highlands, 2000 meters above sea level, and being close to Azeri border, they are heavily populated by refugees from Azerbajian.
Long and cold winters are common for that part of Armenia. Harsh living conditions and poor infrastructure have an extremely negative impact on the physical and psychological health of the people, especially children. In many villages there are no health centers, doctors and even nurses to provide first aid. People need to travel long distances by bus in order to get medical help or buy medicine in Vardenis, and in serious cases, travel almost 200 km to the capital Yerevan.
“The remoteness of villages and poverty (59%) deters families from seeing a doctor. Instead, they use home remedies. Most of the villagers visit a doctor only in the case of urgent need, because they are too poor to pay the treatment cost or even the bus fare (US$1). As a result the number of home deliveries is quite high in the remote villages, and this endangers women’s health,” said Mary Shakhnazaryan, Vardenis ADP Health Coordinator.
Gor needs medical intervention and on-going medical supervision. To provide all this, his parents need to travel to Yerevan 200 kilometers away, thus spending more than 3 hours to get there. In wintertime it is hardly possible to travel because of heavy snow.
He often has to endure pain. I lift his legs up to avoid strangulation of hernia. the only way to relieve his pain
“He often has to endure pain. I lift his legs up to avoid strangulation of hernia. This is the only way to relieve his pain,” said Gor’s mother, and her face writhed in pain.
Because of his health problems Gor’s body isn’t resistant to viruses, and he often falls ill. When he coughs it hurts him a lot. His mother says that sometimes his lips and finger nails turn blue as a result of heart disease.
Unfortunately, Gor’s case wasn’t an exception revealed by World Vision Mobile Medical Teams (MOT) during monthly health check-ups in this region.
Ten-year old Narek Tadevossyan suffers from cryptorchism that prevents him from running and jumping. He should have been operated on at the age of 2 to avoid complications that would affect his life in the future. But his family couldn’t afford to take him to hospital for treatment. Narek lives with his mother and grandmother 41 km. away from Vardenis. The village has no health post. The only way to get medical help is to travel to Yerevan, since the only hospital in Vardenis cannot provide this kind of surgery.
Within the last three months 1000 children from 23 villages of the region underwent medical check-ups provided by MOTs. An equipped truck with a medical team; general practitioner, gynecologist, pediatrician, laboratory technician, and ultrasound specialist drove through curved and ruinous paths to provide important primary healthcare to the children and their families. However, nearly 90 children were found to be in need of urgent medical intervention and proper health treatment.
The most common diseases in this region are worming infestation, acute respiratory infections, gastroenteritis and colitis, heart problems, and anemia. Malnutrition is also a big issue in these rural areas.
The conditions MOTs work in are challenging due to the poor roads and infrastructure. The roads to the villages are half ruined almost impassible in wintertime and many villagers remain cut off for weeks. People usually can’t get help in time as a result death cases continue to grow. In Gegharkunik region infant mortality is estimated to be 2.6 %. Still, MOT trucks remain the only vehicles that can reach the remote villages despite harsh weather conditions.
MOTs make regular visits to each village on monthly basis. Yet it is usually insufficient to keep the situation under control
“MOTs make regular visits to each village on monthly basis. Yet it is usually insufficient to keep the situation under control. When the doctor prescribes some treatment or medicine he needs to know the effects it has on his patient. Most remote villages are deprived of telecommunication line that makes communication impossible,” said Varujan Karapetyan, pediatrician, Vardenis ADP.
The health posts in this region are in poor condition lacking the necessary equipments, medical supplies to make correct diagnosis thus providing the right treatment. The sterilization equipment is physically depreciated as it hasn’t been replaced for years.
Moreover, the electricity in the villages can be cut off for days, while in winter the average temperature is -20°C. The situation creates huge problems for doctors to provide proper medical treatment, and hinders the work of MOTs.
Gegharkunik has the lowest ratio of medical personnel to population in the country. In 2003 the region employed 13 medical staff per thousand of the population. Besides, the qualification level is below the average - another reason why people don’t visit doctors. They don’t trust them.
“We have no choice but to invite specialists from Yerevan to work with us. This fact also complicates our job”, said Varujan Karapetyan.
“One of the main objectives MOT project aims at is capacity building for local primary health care providers that will ensure stronger impact. It includes the increase in qualification, and medical equipments along with primary health care infrastructure and referral system to be reestablished,” said Avetik Harutyunyants, World Vision Armenia Health Department Manager.
In the frames of MOT project World Vision has already carried out the renovation of 12 rural health posts that are also furnished and provided with medical supplies and equipment.
Despite the difficulties MOTs face, they seek to serve as many children as possible and prevent the spread of diseases as well as death cases. On average 10-14 children benefit from MOT visits per day.
“The situation has greatly changed since the establishment of World Vision’s MOT here in Vardenis. The remote villages haven’t had access to healthcare for years, now children and their families can get it at least once a month. They are willing to pass medical check-ups, and receive consultations of qualified specialists. People trust them. I don’t want even to think of what could have happened if MOT hadn’t been in this region, that strongly needs medical service,” said Zorik Karapetyan, Vardenis ADP Child Sponsorship Coordinator.
“We are thankful to MOTs as they really do a good job. I always inform people about the dates of MOT arrival, and they eagerly come. The only concern that troubles them is that they don’t have access to dental treatment,” says Bavakan Mkrtchyan, a nurse of a health post renovated by World Vision in Kutakan village, 17 km. far from Vardenis.
Many children and their families in the poorest and remote villages of Armenia are still in need of proper medical care. They cherish hope that their problems will be over one day with the help of such organizations like World Vision.
“I pray my son could overcome his health problems. I know his life is in the hands of Almighty and Generous God,” said Gor’s mother, with a ray of hope sparkling in her eyes.
Recently Narek Tadevossyan has been included in Child Sponsorship, and already has a sponsor. His mother hopes that something will be changed in their life as well, and her son will finally get medical treatment.
World Vision’s MOT project is funded by USAID and World Vision US started in Vardenis in 2004. MOT teams regularly provide free primary medical services, including laboratory tests, ultrasound examinations and referrals to district doctors in 32 remote and needy villages.
Gor’s home is in Pambak village, 46 km from Vardenis town in the Gegharkunik region, North-Eastern Armenia, an area included in World Vision Area Development Programme. Vardenis and its surrounding villages are located on the highlands, 2000 meters above sea level, and being close to Azeri border, they are heavily populated by refugees from Azerbajian.
Long and cold winters are common for that part of Armenia. Harsh living conditions and poor infrastructure have an extremely negative impact on the physical and psychological health of the people, especially children. In many villages there are no health centers, doctors and even nurses to provide first aid. People need to travel long distances by bus in order to get medical help or buy medicine in Vardenis, and in serious cases, travel almost 200 km to the capital Yerevan.
“The remoteness of villages and poverty (59%) deters families from seeing a doctor. Instead, they use home remedies. Most of the villagers visit a doctor only in the case of urgent need, because they are too poor to pay the treatment cost or even the bus fare (US$1). As a result the number of home deliveries is quite high in the remote villages, and this endangers women’s health,” said Mary Shakhnazaryan, Vardenis ADP Health Coordinator.
Gor needs medical intervention and on-going medical supervision. To provide all this, his parents need to travel to Yerevan 200 kilometers away, thus spending more than 3 hours to get there. In wintertime it is hardly possible to travel because of heavy snow.
He often has to endure pain. I lift his legs up to avoid strangulation of hernia. the only way to relieve his pain
“He often has to endure pain. I lift his legs up to avoid strangulation of hernia. This is the only way to relieve his pain,” said Gor’s mother, and her face writhed in pain.
Because of his health problems Gor’s body isn’t resistant to viruses, and he often falls ill. When he coughs it hurts him a lot. His mother says that sometimes his lips and finger nails turn blue as a result of heart disease.
Unfortunately, Gor’s case wasn’t an exception revealed by World Vision Mobile Medical Teams (MOT) during monthly health check-ups in this region.
Ten-year old Narek Tadevossyan suffers from cryptorchism that prevents him from running and jumping. He should have been operated on at the age of 2 to avoid complications that would affect his life in the future. But his family couldn’t afford to take him to hospital for treatment. Narek lives with his mother and grandmother 41 km. away from Vardenis. The village has no health post. The only way to get medical help is to travel to Yerevan, since the only hospital in Vardenis cannot provide this kind of surgery.
Within the last three months 1000 children from 23 villages of the region underwent medical check-ups provided by MOTs. An equipped truck with a medical team; general practitioner, gynecologist, pediatrician, laboratory technician, and ultrasound specialist drove through curved and ruinous paths to provide important primary healthcare to the children and their families. However, nearly 90 children were found to be in need of urgent medical intervention and proper health treatment.
The most common diseases in this region are worming infestation, acute respiratory infections, gastroenteritis and colitis, heart problems, and anemia. Malnutrition is also a big issue in these rural areas.
The conditions MOTs work in are challenging due to the poor roads and infrastructure. The roads to the villages are half ruined almost impassible in wintertime and many villagers remain cut off for weeks. People usually can’t get help in time as a result death cases continue to grow. In Gegharkunik region infant mortality is estimated to be 2.6 %. Still, MOT trucks remain the only vehicles that can reach the remote villages despite harsh weather conditions.
MOTs make regular visits to each village on monthly basis. Yet it is usually insufficient to keep the situation under control
“MOTs make regular visits to each village on monthly basis. Yet it is usually insufficient to keep the situation under control. When the doctor prescribes some treatment or medicine he needs to know the effects it has on his patient. Most remote villages are deprived of telecommunication line that makes communication impossible,” said Varujan Karapetyan, pediatrician, Vardenis ADP.
The health posts in this region are in poor condition lacking the necessary equipments, medical supplies to make correct diagnosis thus providing the right treatment. The sterilization equipment is physically depreciated as it hasn’t been replaced for years.
Moreover, the electricity in the villages can be cut off for days, while in winter the average temperature is -20°C. The situation creates huge problems for doctors to provide proper medical treatment, and hinders the work of MOTs.
Gegharkunik has the lowest ratio of medical personnel to population in the country. In 2003 the region employed 13 medical staff per thousand of the population. Besides, the qualification level is below the average - another reason why people don’t visit doctors. They don’t trust them.
“We have no choice but to invite specialists from Yerevan to work with us. This fact also complicates our job”, said Varujan Karapetyan.
“One of the main objectives MOT project aims at is capacity building for local primary health care providers that will ensure stronger impact. It includes the increase in qualification, and medical equipments along with primary health care infrastructure and referral system to be reestablished,” said Avetik Harutyunyants, World Vision Armenia Health Department Manager.
In the frames of MOT project World Vision has already carried out the renovation of 12 rural health posts that are also furnished and provided with medical supplies and equipment.
Despite the difficulties MOTs face, they seek to serve as many children as possible and prevent the spread of diseases as well as death cases. On average 10-14 children benefit from MOT visits per day.
“The situation has greatly changed since the establishment of World Vision’s MOT here in Vardenis. The remote villages haven’t had access to healthcare for years, now children and their families can get it at least once a month. They are willing to pass medical check-ups, and receive consultations of qualified specialists. People trust them. I don’t want even to think of what could have happened if MOT hadn’t been in this region, that strongly needs medical service,” said Zorik Karapetyan, Vardenis ADP Child Sponsorship Coordinator.
“We are thankful to MOTs as they really do a good job. I always inform people about the dates of MOT arrival, and they eagerly come. The only concern that troubles them is that they don’t have access to dental treatment,” says Bavakan Mkrtchyan, a nurse of a health post renovated by World Vision in Kutakan village, 17 km. far from Vardenis.
Many children and their families in the poorest and remote villages of Armenia are still in need of proper medical care. They cherish hope that their problems will be over one day with the help of such organizations like World Vision.
“I pray my son could overcome his health problems. I know his life is in the hands of Almighty and Generous God,” said Gor’s mother, with a ray of hope sparkling in her eyes.
Recently Narek Tadevossyan has been included in Child Sponsorship, and already has a sponsor. His mother hopes that something will be changed in their life as well, and her son will finally get medical treatment.
World Vision’s MOT project is funded by USAID and World Vision US started in Vardenis in 2004. MOT teams regularly provide free primary medical services, including laboratory tests, ultrasound examinations and referrals to district doctors in 32 remote and needy villages.
Share