Children of Armenia Fund Sponsored the Training of Physicians and Nurses of the Armavir District

Karakert, Armavir Marz, Armenia, November 8, 2005— The Model Village of Karakert, a COAF-assisted project, recently hosted pediatric training courses on primary health care clinical methodology for well-child care.  The project was funded by COAF and carried out by the Armenian Association of Pediatricians (ArAsPed), a countrywide expert in well-child care initiatives since 1996.

The training consisted of four-day and five-day lectures for nurses, family physicians/pediatricians, respectively, October 19 through October 27, 2005.  All lectures and practical training classes were held at the Karakert ambulatory, which for the last twelve months has been one of the principal venues and the principal beneficiary of the COAF Health Care Modernization Program.

The primary goal of the training program was to augment knowledge in concepts of early detection of child health disorders, including developmental, growth, and congenital or acquired. The training also aimed at updating current health care approaches, adopting new management concepts regarding medical records following international best practices.

Participating in the training were nine family physicians/pediatricians and nineteen nurses from fourteen villages across the Baghramian Region of the Armavir District.  In addition to the theoretical and practical components of the training, which included screening methodology and recording techniques, the participants also acquired skills on child safety and parental counseling as an essential part of health care providers’ daily activities. The effectiveness of the training was measured by pre- and post-training tests held on site. The activities of the trainees will be further evaluated by COAF health staff through periodic field visitations and monitoring.

The event also marked the debut of the Karakert Women’s Association’s (KWA) public activity.  A group of KWA women took charge of servicing all three meals during the entire training period.  Their role in this venture was to ensure the adequate and timely organization of lunch and coffee breaks for a total of 32 participants, including the trainers.  The event was marked by words of praise by all parties, including the chief pediatrician of the district, the sponsors, and the implementers of the event. 

Next in COAF’s Health Modernization Program is the performance monitoring of the Karakert School and pre-school nurses and the identification of gaps for improving the overall health care system in the village.  In the social arena, KWA women will be trained in and oversee the distribution of clothing to the most vulnerable families in Karakert.

CONTACTS: Sunny Uberoi, (212) 994-8206; or e-mail info@coafkids.org