The 4th International Medical Congress of Armenia will take place in Armenia, from July 2 to 4, 2015

The 4th International Medical Congress of Armenia will take place in 2015, from July 2 to 4.  Taking into consideration the advances from the Armenian medical congresses, under the auspices of the Ministry of Health of Armenia and Armenian Medical International Committee (AMIC), the upcoming Congress of 2015 will address some of the most vital issues facing healthcare today.

We talked about the purpose, features and thematic emphasis of the Congress with Professor Ara Babloyan, who is the Chairman of the Committee of Health Care, Maternity and Childhood  of the National Assembly of Armenia and President of the Congress.

–   Mr. Babloyan, taking into consideration the history of the Congress, what are the features for the 4th International Medical Congress of Armenia.

–   On the one hand, the Congress of 2015 continues the tendency of the previous congresses, as it the 4th one in Armenia, on the other hand, the Congress of 2015 is significant for being organized 100 years later the Genocide. The main idea is the investment of the healthcare system in the restoration of the nation's losses. One of the major purposes on the way is to improve the reproductive care, the growth and development of the newborns, as well as to ensure the working capacity of young people and adults. Our nation will prosper if more children are born, and life expectancy lengthens.

–   What are the thematic emphases?

–   There will be serious presentations during the Congress, which are dedicated to reproductive health and care of children and mothers. We will address a very important issue that is the prevention of non-communicable diseases. We will emphasize the prophylaxis, early detection and management of the oncological, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. There will also be a separate nursing section, where there will be discussed the issues in nursing care, concerns, tendencies throughout the world. Everyone will be able to participate in the plenary session. There will be discussed actual problems and issues of Health Care in Armenia. Dozens of directions will be covered. They will be grouped into certain scientific sections.

–   Who are the participants of the Congress?

–   We expect to have about 1500 participants. Despite the fact that the Congress can have 500-700 participants, there will be also organized the Satellite symposiums. We will try our best because great specialists and professors will arrive to Armenia. It will be less productive if they present their works only during the congress, that's why till the start of the congress 1st July, will be organized 5-7 satellite symposiums and if 100-200 specialists take part in each symposium then the overall number of participants will reach 700-1500.

–   The conference includes also regional doctors and partners from Artsakh.

–   It has already become a tradition that doctors from Artsakh take part in the Congress without payment. All the participations of regional and Artsakh doctors in symposiums will be free. Only the participation in Congress itself is paid. I will be happy if many doctors and nurses from Armenia and Artsakh take part in the Congress. During this event there will be presented the latest news from different medical fields; that will certainly contribute to the improvement of medical services in Armenia. After each Congress, we have an improvement of quality, new successes and achievements.

Our interlocutor is Director of Health Projects of the National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia and Co-Chairman of the 4IMCA Dr. Gevorg Yaghjyan.

–   Mr. Yaghjyan let’s speak about organizational issues.

–   The participation of internationally recognized experts and specialists, world spread Armenian doctors and nurses from different fields of health care is anticipated within the Congress. Congress will cover current issues, trends and improvements in general medicine, stomatology, pharmacology, nursing, healthcare education and adjacent medical fields.

The main speakers and participants of discussions will concentrate on wide range of appropriate topics, including actual problems of healthcare in RA and Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, latest achievements, scientific-technological progress in management of cancers and reproductive health, which revolutionize the healthcare.

The third day of the Congress will be entirely dedicated to Armenia-Diaspora projects and future cooperation strategies.

An interesting social program will be suggested to the participants of the Congress and their families.

–   Where can we search for more information about the program of the Congress and participation details?

–   There has been created an official web page of the Congress: www.4imca.am which helps to proceed with participants registration, submission of the scientific materials and displays all the required information about Congress. The web site will be updated in parallel to the development of the particulars.

Head of Staff Management Department of the Ministry of Health, the Chairperson of Informational Committee of the Congress Dr. Samvel Soghomonyan.

–   Mr. Soghomonyan, let’s speak about organizational features of the Congress.

–   This is the 4th International Medical Congress in Armenia. The symbolic slogan is-“Together to healthy nation”. The congress will launch on July 2, 2015 and will last till the 4th of July. It is held every 4 years and is alternated with the International Congress abroad. The main purpose of the Congress is to unite world-spread Armenian medical community in Armenia once within 4 years. Health Care administrators, doctors and health specialists will discuss all the challenges, prospects of development, which are available in modern medicine.  There will be professional presentations and discussions dedicated to various direction of medicine. All the opportunities, resources which could promote the health care and the development in various fields of medicine in Armenia will be discussed as well. The Congress will emphasize creation of further cooperation and links between Armenian and Diaspora medical organizations, medical associations and individual doctors. The last day of the Congress will be dedicated exclusively to the Armenia-Diaspora cooperation, the programs which are planned to be carried out. Our purpose is to develop 5-year plan of the Armenia-Diaspora cooperation. We should focus on and outline, through what directions to develop the Armenia-Diaspora partnership for a period of 2015-2020.

–   What is the effectiveness of such congresses?

–   After the last Congress, held in Los-Angeles active work has been done in distinct directions up to now. We have attained to the agreement with the recognized doctors of Armenian origin working in Los-Angeles, in order to create an opportunity for Armenian talented doctors to have short-term trainings in their centers. The project is operated on successfully, and now we have some young doctors who are being trained in the leading American clinics with the assistance of the local specialists. This process will be continuous. This is really an achievement, and this opportunity was privileged during the previous Congress. There are a lot of examples like this.

–   Congresses of Armenian doctors held abroad have earlier history. What parallels can be taken between congresses, held in Armenia and abroad?

–   The advantage of the congresses held in homeland is that the Armenian health problems will be discussed more objectively and attentively. Cooperation programs which are designed during the Congress are mostly focused on the development of the health system in Armenia and to increase the potential of various medical centers.

Health Projects Coordinator of the Fund for Armenian Relief Dr. Hambardzum Simonyan.

–   Taking into consideration the important fact that the conference will take place in 2015, what features it may have?

–   As it is organized for 2015, we are going to use the opportunity of speaking about the crime of 20th century one more time. Actually, we should use all stages for that. Our coming steps that are forward to professionalize the relation of Armenia-Diaspora, can also be considered as an important step ahead of 100th anniversary. Regardless of the fact, in what year the Congress is being organized, it has always had a consolidating role. Besides giving scientific advantages, the Congresses also give great opportunities for creating magnificent relations. There is noticed a significant increase in investing projects in Armenia by Diaspora after each Congress. It is very important that the Congress is taking place in Armenia, as the compatriots, who have not seen Armenia yet, will get informed about issues and achievements in our health care system. They will meet their potential colleagues and will create mutually beneficial working relations.

A representative of the Association of Physicians of the “Union of Armenians in Russia” Dr. Eduard Gevorgyan.

–   Mr. Gevorgyan, what are the activities of Association of Armenian Physicians in Russia?

–   Our association has reactivated recently. We have some groups of physicists who try to contribute to the development of healthcare in Armenia in basis of charity. After the Congress of Armenian doctors in LA we decided to unite the groups of Armenian doctors in Russia. We have asked Professor Bagrat Alekyan to lead this movement. During the convention of healthcare representatives and professionals taken place in July 8 we discussed some ways of implementations of the projects. It is in our future plans to organize the first Russian-wide conference of Armenian doctors, which will promote the more effective cooperation of partners.

–   How do you rate the importance of such congresses?

–   It is a great occasion for making horizontal relations. I suppose, visiting Armenia for one more occasion and communicating with doctors representing the health field of their homeland will be interesting for our colleagues in Russia. Such congresses are worthwhile also for perceiving the nowadays trends accurately. Each of the participant-doctors will present the health system of his/her country, which can support in having general notion about international trends.

–   How much are the Russian-populated doctors informed of the Armenian Health Care System, and do they have a relation to the Health Care System’s problems?

–   The majority of doctors in our association have born and had the main part of their medical education in Armenia. Moreover, they do often visit Armenia, and are well informed of the Armenian Healthcare problems. Certainly, there are some doctors for whom this Congress and such others are a great opportunity to be introduced to Armenian Health Care System.

–   Can this Congress assist the Armenian Healthcare to become part of the international health care system?

–   Armenian Health Care System is in a rather advantageous position. Our Diaspora enables us to be easily integrated in the international health care system. For instance, in Russia’s case the situation is entirely different.  Many doors are closed for Russian specialists. The only thing is to use right this advantageous position. If Armenian doctors show a great willingness the Armenian Health Care System can easily import the international tends and innovations.

We talked about the scientific directions with the Co-Chair of the Scientific Committee, Head of the Institute of Child and Adolescent Health of ARABKIR Medical Center Dr. Sergey Sargsyan.

–   First and foremost, the Congress will have a scientific orientation and will be organized in order to give the opportunity to Armenian specialists and those from abroad to present their scientific works, up-to-date observations and share their experiences.

–   What kind of opportunities will the participant-specialist get from the Congress?

–   While talking with you, Eduard Gevorgyan talked about the difficulties of cooperation of the Russian-populated doctors and those from abroad, so in that case the Congress can become a link between representatives of various countries. Both Armenian and foreign specialists would like to represent their best and advanced research, which surely will be useful for others. It is very important for our specialist’ to have their scientific works shown for representatives of other medical schools as well. Within the Congress there will be formed a “laboratory of ideas”, whence each can take all the needful. Our purpose is to create that opportunity, so that health professionals can get knowledge and form cooperation as a result of that exchange.

–   Which medical directions are emphasized?

–   There will be represented all medical directions. The plenary lectures will be delivered in the morning. Those lectures are about actual and up-to-date topics that interest doctors, regardless of their medical specialty. Besides arousing an interest, these will also be in a highest level and accuracy. There should be organized scientific sections which will integrate all the medical fields from healthcare organization, public health to specialized areas of medicine. It is very important that all the lectures and reports being introduced during the Congress will be recorded and afterwards will be the disk and online options for spreading information.

–   Do our doctors have the opportunity to transmit their experience from the scientific perspective? 

–   Certainly. We have several specialists in all fields, who regularly present their works in international congresses. On the systematic point of view in Armenia medical and scientific activities are not still integrated in the international medical and scientific community. One of the problems is the funding of the science, which is in a lowest level in Armenia. Certainly, regardless of the finances there are research works that can be presented and published in the advanced professional journals. Here is also linguistic barrier. It’s not enough to know English; it is required to be able to write in English, to present a scientific work in English. Besides the main scientific work, it is necessary to comprehend the features of its formation that should have concrete standards in order to be published in international journals.

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