On 23 February, Anna Yeghiazaryan, Secretary General of Armenian Red Cross Society met with the representatives of Switzerland and Monaco Red Crosses - Christine Rutschmann, SRC Programme Coordinator and Health Expert, Susanne Egloff, SRC advisor, Anne Denziger, Monaco Red Cross representative and Lena Krylova, expert-facilitator.
The aim of the visit was to discuss and plan future cooperation with ARCS in the sphere of social support and health care.
Welcoming the guests, Dr. Anna Yeghiazaryan, Secretary General mentioned, that the cooperation with Switzerland and Monaco Red Crosses is very important for ARCS:
- As a continuation of previous evaluation phase, today’s meeting will give an opportunity to outline the directions of social support and health care spheres, were we will work, particularly in the elderly home care and prevention of non-communicable diseases.
This visit will allow us to launch a long-term cooperation to direct our efforts for effective introduction of the system and further development in above mentioned areas.
Christine Rutschmann, SRC Programme Coordinator and Health Expert, stressing the need for such a system as well, said:
- In the frames of our cooperation, we also intend to share with you the experience of those National Societies, with whom we have been working on.
Planning workshop with ARCS staff followed the discussion with ARCS Secretary General.
Christine Rutschmann, SRC Programme Coordinator and Health Expert presented International cooperation priorities and approaches of Swiss Red Cross, as well as the regional experience of health care, healthy lifestyle and improving the welfare, through the community action for health. Mrs. Rutschmann also introduced the concept of fighting non-communicable diseases, referred to the Ottawa Charter.
Most cases of death have been registered of the four most common non-communicable diseases worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, 17.5 million people die of cardiovascular diseases, cancer - 6.2 million, respiratory diseases - 4 million, and diabetes - 1.5 million.
Lusine Kocharyan, Head of ARCS Health Department presented the statistics of non-communicable diseases in Armenia and the actions for prevention.
Then, the workshop participants conducted needs assessment on public awareness and community involvement improvement in the sphere of NCDs prevention and healthy lifestyle, observing then from the view of ARCS capacities and possibilities.
During the week Switzerland and Monaco Red Crosses representatives will also visit ARCS Lori and Shirak Regional Branches, will meet the Presidents of the Branches, volunteers and social workers, as well as beneficiaries.
These meetings will help to get acquainted with the activities being done in social and health sector, more clearly assess the situation for the planning of the future projects.
