Improving care for the mentally ill and children
MSF has expanded its activities among
people with mental health problems in
eastern Armenia's Gegharkunik region. The
priority is to improve the way mentally ill
outpatients are cared for, reduce their hospitalization
rate and minimize their social
isolation. The project involves psychologists,
nurses, social workers and community
educators. In northern Armenia, on the
border with Georgia, MSF runs a project
which treats patients with sexually transmitted
infections (STIs) and HIV, and aims
to reduce their prevalence among high-risk
groups including commercial sex workers,
truck drivers and migrant workers. Each
month, approximately 300 people receive
services which include treatment of STIs at
the MSF clinic, condom distribution and
education.
In June 2004, after seven years, MSF's work
with the children in a "special education
center" in Vardashen ended. The project
demonstrated that there was an effective,
humane alternative to the violent methods
through which such institutions have traditionally
controlled their inhabitants. MSF
used an educational approach based on
respect for the child as an individual. MSF
staff also showed that by providing help to
the children's families, children could
remain at home for longer periods of time
and would not have to resort to begging
on the streets. MSF has been sharing its conclusions with Armenian authorities in
an ongoing attempt to press the government
to reform the ways in which these atrisk
young people are treated.
In mid-2004, MSF started providing health
care for civilians living in the regions of
Vardenis and Tshambarak. Many residents
in this area are refugees from neighboring
Azerbaijan who fled the country after the
1991-4 war, and unemployment is high.
MSF is offering basic medical care as well
as treatment for women and children in six
health centers, two clinics and two hospitals.
The team will also train and supervise
local ministry of health staff. In addition,
MSF will provide medicines and needed
materials and help rehabilitate the facilities.
The organization plans to undertake advocacy
action to make national authorities
and donor agencies more aware of the
needs of this regional group.
MSF has worked in Armenia since 1988.
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