Through the sponsorship of its Swiss affiliate, the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has established a screening and diagnostics lab at the Children’s Home of Gyumri. The fund has provided the lab with all required equipment and furniture. The equipment includes an ultrasound machine, which has been purchased with the financial support of the Devejian and Eksercian families as well as Krikor Simsiroglu of Argentina.
Close to 130 children with physical or mental disabilities and under six years of age live and receive care at the Children’s Home. Anna Gevorgyan, the director of the orphanage, notes that prior to the establishment of the lab at the facility, children living here had to be transported to various clinics and hospitals for medical check-ups and tests. “Having an on-site lab will make it possible for us to perform most tests and screenings in-house,” Gevorgyan says. “The work will be carried out by our own healthcare professionals, who are currently being trained in the use of our state-of-the-art lab equipment. Speedy diagnoses will make all the difference, allowing for early detection and treatment of diseases. As importantly, the convenience of having an on-site lab will mean that our staff and children alike will no longer have to deal with the considerable logistical issues of medical transportation.”
In the past six years, the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has implemented several projects at the Children’s Home. They include the complete renovation and refurnishing of the facility’s two buildings, which have a total area of 900 square meters; the reconstruction and equipment of the outdoor playground; and the construction of an indoor therapy pool.
