AECP - 20 Years Anniversary Brochure

Celebrate!

20

Highlights for 1992-2012

Years of Bringing

Hope&Sight

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AECP & PARTNERS The Armenian EyeCare Project (AECP) is a U.S.-based charity organization founded in 1992 by Armenian-American ophthalmologist Dr. Roger Ohanesian.

The AECP office in Armenia was established in 2002.

The AECP’s mission is to eliminate preventable blindness and make eye care accessible to all people in Armenia.

Many highly qualified American academic ophthalmologists have been invited to visit Armenia to treat patients and share knowledge with their Armenian colleagues.

The AECP carries out its activities in close cooperation with many partners in Armenia and outside. We would like to express our deep gratitude to all of our donors and partners who have supported the AECP during the past 20 years. They include:

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Line ministries of the Republic of Armenia, Governors’ offices in all marzes of Armenia Municipalities and community councils Leading eyecare institutions Neonatal intensive care units Regional medical centers, health centers and village health posts United States Agency for international Development Numerous organizations and individuals in the Armenian diaspora Embassies of a number of countries in Armenia Private businesses operating in Armenia Charity organizations Multinational companies

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MOC OPHTHALMOLOGICAL CENTER AFTER S. MALAYAN The AECP gives special tribute to one of its strategic partners - the Ophthalmological Center after S. Malayan (MOC) and its leader, RA Chief Ophthalmologist and AECP Medical Director Prof. Alexandr Malayan.

The 20 years of cooperation between the MOC and the AECP has had a major impact on the development of eye care in Armenia.

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MEDICAL MISSIONS & VOLUNTEERS U.S. medical missions to Armenia -

40

Ophthalmologists traveled to Armenia at their own expense -

60

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DONATIONS TO ARMENIA Donated by U.S. medical manufacturing and pharmaceutical companies, the AECP has received medical equipment and supplies valued at more than $19 million .The donations are given to Armenian hospitals and clinics.

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MEDICAL OUTREACH The AECP’s countrywide program, “Bringing Sight to Armenian Eyes,” began in 2003. The goal of the program is to make quality eye care accessible to people throughout the regions of Armenia in an effort to eliminate avoidable blindness in Armenia. Within the scope of the project the AECP Medical teams and the Mobile Eye Hospital (MEH) travel to rural and urban communities of Armenia.

300,000 Surgeries and lasers -14,000 Eyeglasses provided - 43,000 People screened -

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NATIONAL PROGRAM PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY (ROP) The ROP program began in 2010 in cooperation with USAID and the Ministry of Health of Armenia. The AECP-trained physicians regularly screen all premature infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units. Those in need of treatment undergo laser procedures.

The AECP has an exciting opportunity to partner with USAID again in 2012 to establish a Center of Excellence for the Prevention of Childhood Blindness. Our vision for this program is that all children in Armenia and the surrounding countries will have specialized eye care available to them and that childhood blindness from ROP is eliminated.

1000 Infants saved - 50 Infants screened -

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CAPACITY BUILDING The AECP and its partners are dedicated to developing Armenia into a regional center of excellence in ophthalmology through the transfer of knowledge and the institutionalization of services.

International training conferences organized -

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Specialty clinics equipped at S. Malayan Ophthalmological Center & Kanaker – Zeytun Medical Center - Retina, Glaucoma, Cornea and Uveitis, Neuro-orbital, Low vision.

These clinics are led by the Armenian ophthalmologists who had their fellowships in the finest eye care institutions of the U.S., thanks to the AECP sponsorship. The AECP fellows now transfer their knowledge to their colleagues and students.

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MEDICAL EDUCATION & TRAINING Primary health care providers trained -

2,000

With the financial support of the USAID and assistance from the Ophthalmological Center after S. Malayan, the AECP opened the Education and Diagnostic Center furnished with state-of-the-art equipment in 2006.

Thanks to the generous donation of the U.S.-based company Pfizer, the AECP brought the Wet Lab to Armenia where the Armenian ophthalmologists improve their surgical skills.

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PUBLIC EDUCATION

602,000 Public education classes delivered - 400 for 10,000 children, 900 parents & health activists Educational brochures published -

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PROFESSIONAL LITERATURE & ACADEMIC SUPPORT The books authored by the AECP - the “Eye Diseases” and the “Essentials of Ophthalmology” are the first textbooks on ophthalmology in Armenian language. These books serve as a reference for the professional upgrade of the Armenian primary health care specialists and ophthalmologists.

The AECP published the brochure “Countdown Towards 2020: Activities and Statistics” presenting eye care statistics and analysis on national and regional levels, and providing valuable insight for policy makers to analyze and estimate the demand of eye care services in the country.

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DATA ANALYSIS & RESEARCH The AECP continues the analysis of the data collected during the eye screenings of population and scientific researches. The results of data analysis have made it possible to develop some core indicators on the eye health and prevalence of eye diseases among the Armenian population.

Prevalence of eye diseases causing blindness in the regions of Armenia for the population of 50+

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AECP STAFF Every patient examined and treated makes the AECP staff feel rewarded for the job done. We wish health to all people of Armenia.

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PEOPLE WHO WE HELPED

The Armenian EyeCare Project Office in the United States P.O. box 5630, Newport Beach, CA 92662, USA Phone: 949.675.5767, Fax: 949 673.2356 Email: aecp@eyecareproject.com Web: www.eyecareproject.com The Armenian EyeCare Project Office in Armenia Aygestan 5th str., house 7; 0070 Yerevan; Armenia Phone: 374 10. 55 90 68; Fax: 374 10. 57 76 94 E-mail: aecp@aecp.am Web: www.aecp.am