The 4th International Medical Congress of Armenia (IMCA) will take place from July 2-4, 2015, under the auspices of the Ministry of Health of Armenia and the Armenian Medical International Committee (AMIC), and will address some of the most vital issues facing health care today.
We talked about the purpose, features, and thematic emphasis of the Congress with Prof. Ara Babloyan, the chairman of the Committee of Health Care, Maternity, and Childhood of the National Assembly of Armenia and president of the Congress.
Q: Mr. Babloyan, taking into consideration the history of the Congress, what are the features for the 4th International Medical Congress of Armenia?
A: On the one hand, the Congress of 2015 continues the themes 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 after 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.
Q: What are the thematic emphases?
A: There will be serious presentations during the Congress dedicated to reproductive health and care of children and mothers. We will address a very important issue: 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 the issues in nursing care,concerns, tendencies throughout the world will be discussed. Everyone will be able to participate in the plenary session. The actual problems and issues of health care in Armenia will be discussed. Dozens of directions will be covered. They will be grouped into certain scientific sections.
Q: Who are the participants of the Congress?
A: We expect to have about 1,500 participants. Despite the fact that the Congress can have 500-700 participants, there will also be 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 until the start of the Congress on July 1, we will organize 5-7 satellite symposiums, and if 100-200 specialists take part in each symposium then the overall number of participants will reach 700-1,500.
Q: The conference includes also regional doctors and partners from Artsakh (Karabagh).
A: It has already become a tradition that doctors from Artsakh take part in the Congress without payment. All the participation 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, the latest news from different medical fields will be presented; 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.
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Our interlocutor is the director of Health Projects of the National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia and co-chairman of the 4th IMCA, Dr. Gevorg Yaghjyan.
Q: Mr. Yaghjyan let’s speak about organizational issues.
A: The participation of internationally recognized experts and specialists, Armenian doctors and nurses from different fields of health care and from all over the world is anticipated within the Congress. The 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 a wide range of appropriate topics, including actual problems of healthcare in the Republic of Armenia and the Nagorno Karabagh Republic, the latest achievements, scientific-technological progress in the 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.
For more information about the program of the Congress and participation details, visit the official web page of the Congress (www.4imca.am), which helps with participant registration, submission of scientific materials, and displays all the required information about Congress.
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We also spoke with Dr. Samvel Soghomonyan, head of the Staff Management Department of the Ministry of Health and chair of the Informational Committee of the Congress.
Q: Mr. Soghomonyan, let’s speak about organizational features of the Congress.
A: This is the 4th International Medical Congress in Armenia. The symbolic slogan is, “Together to a healthy nation.” The congress will launch on July 2, 2015, and will last until July 4. It is held every four years and is alternated with the International Congress abroad. The main purpose of the Congress is to unite the world-spread Armenian medical community in Armenia once every four years. Healthcare administrators, doctors, and health specialists will discuss all the challenges and prospects for development that are available in modern medicine. There will be professional presentations and discussions dedicated to the various directions of medicine.
All the opportunities and resources that could promote the health care and the development in various fields of medicine in Armenia will be discussed as well. The Congress will emphasize the creation of further cooperation and links between Armenian and diasporan medical organizations, medical associations, and individual doctors.
The last day of the Congress will be dedicated exclusively to Armenia-diaspora cooperation, and the programs that are to be carried out. Our purpose is to develop a five-year plan of Armenia-diaspora cooperation. We should focus on and outline the directions to develop an Armenia-diaspora partnership from 2015-20.
Q: What is the effectiveness of such congresses?
A: After the last Congress, held in Los Angeles, active work has been done in distinct directions. We have made an agreement with recognized doctors of Armenian origin working in Los Angeles in order to create an opportunity for talented Armenian doctors to have short-term trainings in their centers. The project has been operated successfully, and we now have some young doctors who are being trained in the leading American clinics with the assistance of these local specialists. This process will be continuous. This is really an achievement, and this opportunity was given during the previous Congress. There are a lot of examples like this.
Q: Congresses of Armenian doctors held abroad have an earlier history. What parallels can be taken between congresses, held in Armenia and abroad?
A: The advantage of the congresses held in the homeland is that Armenian health problems arediscussed 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.
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Next, we spoke with Dr. Hambardzum Simonyan, Health Projects coordinator of the Fund for Armenian Relief.
Q: Taking into consideration the important fact that the conference will take place in 2015, what features may it have?
A: As it is organized for 2015, we are going to use the opportunity to speak about the crime of the 20th century one more time. Actually, we should use all stages for that. Our steps to professionalize the Armenia-diaspora relationship can also be considered as an important step ahead of the 100th anniversary. Regardless of the year the Congress is being organized, it has always had a consolidating role. Besides the scientific advantages, the Congress also creates an opportunity for developing magnificent relations. A significant increase in investing projects in Armenia by the diaspora is noted 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 healthcare system. They will meet their potential colleagues and will create mutually beneficial working relations.
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We spoke with a representative of the Association of Physicians of the “Union of Armenians in Russia,” Dr. Eduard Gevorgyan.
Q: Mr. Gevorgyan, what are the activities of the Association of Armenian Physicians in Russia?
A: …After the Congress of Armenian doctors in Los Angeles, we decided to unite the groups of Armenian doctors in Russia. We have asked Prof. Bagrat Alekyan to lead this movement. During the convention of healthcare representatives and professionals that took place in July 8 we discussed some ways of implementing the projects. It is in our future plans to organize the first Russian-wide conference of Armenian doctors, which will promote more effective cooperation between partners.
Q: How do you rate the importance of such congresses?
A: It is a great occasion for making horizontal relations. I assume that 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 current trends accurately. Each of the participant-doctors will present the health system of his/her country, which will help in having a general notion of international trends.
Q: How much are the Russian-Armenian doctors informed of the Armenian healthcare system, and do they have a relation to the healthcare system’s problems?
A: The majority of doctors in our association were born and had the main part of their medical education in Armenia. Moreover, they often visit Armenia, and are well informed of the problems with health care. Certainly, there are some doctors for whom this Congress and such others are a great opportunity to be introduced to the Armenian health care system.
Q: Can this Congress help Armenian health care become part of the international health care system?
A: The Armenian healthcare system is in a rather advantageous position. Our diaspora enables us to be easily integrated in the international healthcare 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 healthcare system can easily import international trends and innovations.
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We talked about the scientific directions with Dr. Sergey Sargsyan, the co-chair of the Scientific Committee and head of the Institute of Child and Adolescent Health at the ARABKIR Medical Center.
Q: 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 and up-to-date observations and to share their experiences. What kind of opportunities will the participant-specialist get from the Congress?
A: 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 specialists to have their scientific works shown for representatives of other medical schools as well. Within the Congress there will be a “laboratory of ideas” formed, whence each can take all they need. Our purpose is to create that opportunity, so that health professionals can get knowledge and form collaborations as a result of that exchange.
Q: Which medical directions are emphasized?
A: All medical directions will be represented. 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 interest, these will also be held at the highest level and accuracy. There should be organized scientific sections that will integrate all the medical fields from healthcare organizations, public health, to specialized areas of medicine. It is very important that all the lectures and reports being introduced during the Congress be recorded and afterwards be placed online for easy access.
Q: Do our doctors have the opportunity to transmit their experience from the scientific perspective?
A: Certainly. We have several specialists in all fields who regularly present their works in international congresses. Armenian medical and scientific activities are still not integrated in the international medical and scientific community. One of the problems is the funding of the science, which is at the lowest level in Armenia. Certainly, regardless of the finances there is research that can be presented and published in the advanced professional journals. There is also a 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, and the concrete standards required to be published in international journals.
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