Vayk Medical Union Will Receive Medical Equipment with the Help of Burns Supper Donations

January 12, 2009

VAYK, VAYOTZ DZOR MARZ - On January 12, 2009, Mr. Gideon Dewhirst, Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Armenia, and USAID/Armenia Health Team Leader Kimberly Waller presented a newborn incubator to Vayk Medical Union from funds raised through Burns Supper charity event in February 2008. Since 1997, guests of the Burns Supper, organized by the Burns Committee with the support of the British Embassy in Yerevan in honor of famous Scottish poet Robert Burns, raise funds for charity. Earlier this year, the Burns Supper helped raise 8 mln Armenian drams (AMD), of which 2,300,000 AMD were used to purchase a newborn incubator for the Vayk Medical Union.

Vayk Medical Union is a regional in-patient and out-patient healthcare facility that serves 14,300 rural and semi-urban dwellers in the southern region of the Vayots Dzor marz in Armenia. As part of its multiple functions, the facility provides antenatal, delivery, postpartum and infant care services. Around 200 babies are born at its in-patient childbirth department annually.

As a result of the partnership established between the organizers of the Burns Supper and USAID Project NOVA, in 2005-2007 regional healthcare facilities supported by NOVA have received over $55,000 in donations, including life-saving equipment to improve newborn health care. The Ijevan Medical Center obtained an ultrasound examination device, the Dilijan Medical Center received an incubator, the Martuni Maternity Hospital received a neonatal breeze lung ventilator, and the Talin Medical Center received neonatal reanimation equipment, a patient monitor and a syringe pump.

USAID Project NOVA is currently working to improve the quality of and access to maternal and child healthcare in five southern Armenian marzes by improving the performance of healthcare workers, providing basic clinical equipment and supplies, renovating healthcare facilities, and mobilizing and educating communities.

For more information, contact:

Marina Vardanyan
Knowledge Management Officer, USAID Project NOVA
Tel: 274125; 277069; 277065, Fax: 274126

Naira Sultanyan
Project Manager/Political Officer, British Embassy
Tel: 264301
E-mail: Naira.Sultanyan@fco.gov.uk