Presentation of survey on disabled children in Armavir region
On December 21st, Mission East had called for a meeting in the Governor’s office in Armavir region, aiming to present the findings of our groundbreaking disability survey to the doctors, NGO partners, local mayors and other important representatives : With our survey of 11 communities in the region showing a catastrophic situation of lack of attention and follow up by the current medical system, and the extreme need for using the newly introduced services of the Child Development and Rehabilitation Center opened in September through the Mission East Healthy Start project, it was indeed disappointing that none of the mayors and only the District Governor had shown up for the December presentation, and that only doctors from the region and representatives of the partners of Mission East were present.
When we confronted them afterwards, the excuse of the local authorities was they had been busy with end-of year reporting, but at this first meeting we let everyone know that we would come back! Working to address the needs of hundreds of disabled children not yet in focus of the medical system is a job not only for Mission East and our partners, but for everyone concerned, not least the local mayors, as well as representatives of the health, education and social services departments in Armavir.
Thus, we were delighted to see a full hall on January 30th for a second meeting, with all the mayors and a great number of doctors present, and with key staff form the District Governor’s office, in addition to representatives of Mission East and our local partners Nur, Arabkir Medical Center and Bridge of Hope.
Read MoreWhen we confronted them afterwards, the excuse of the local authorities was they had been busy with end-of year reporting, but at this first meeting we let everyone know that we would come back! Working to address the needs of hundreds of disabled children not yet in focus of the medical system is a job not only for Mission East and our partners, but for everyone concerned, not least the local mayors, as well as representatives of the health, education and social services departments in Armavir.
Thus, we were delighted to see a full hall on January 30th for a second meeting, with all the mayors and a great number of doctors present, and with key staff form the District Governor’s office, in addition to representatives of Mission East and our local partners Nur, Arabkir Medical Center and Bridge of Hope.
Among those invited were representatives from the local authorities, family doctors and other medical staff of community clinics, as well as representatives of the local partner organizations of Mission East, working on the 'A Healthy Start' project.
The aim of the meeting was to present concrete data outlining the catastrophic situation of lack of attention to disabled children in the region - which is typical of the situation in the entire country - and to ensure that everyone would work together on an action plan to improve the situation in the future.
