A donation of more than 32,000 toothbrushes has reached Armenia and is being distributed to Armenians through a number of charities, including Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), Armenian International Dental Association, Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA), Children of Armenia Fund (CAF), Fund for Armenia Relief (FAR), and Knights of Vartan (see photo of a child in Armenia displaying some of the donated toothbrushes). The donation was received by AAHPO through President Lawrence V. Najarian, MD, and AAHPO facilitated the shipment of the donation.

“AAHPO will be forever indebted for this gift, which will have a positive impact on Armenian people through needed, improved dental hygiene,” Dr. Najarian said.

“Oral health and dental care is directly linked to overall general health and well being. The link between periodontal health (gum disease) and heart disease has been known for years. Inflammation has been recognized as a common denominator in many diseases. There is a link between inflammation in the oral cavity and Cardiovascular disease, Stroke, Diabetes, Endocarditis, GI health, Rheumatoid arthritis as well as Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia,” noted AAHPO Treasurer Joyce Kurdian, DMD, who owns a private practice, Ridge Family Dentistry in Basking Ridge, NJ.

Dr. Kurdian added: “Oral care including toothbrushing is a simple way to help reduce inflammation in the mouth. In many areas of rural Armenia access to simple tools such as toothbrushes or floss is limited, which makes this donation so much more impactful. We are grateful for this very thoughtful donation.”

The donors of the toothbrushes are patients of Dr. Najarian, and have asked to remain anonymous. The toothbrush manufacturer intended to discard the toothbrushes because the packaging was mislabeled. The toothbrushes themselves are not defective.

When Dr. Najarian agreed to receive the donation on behalf of AAHPO, the donors made multiple trips in the sweltering summer weather to Dr. Najarian’s Bedminster office to deliver 111 cases of toothbrushes.

“I want to personally thank these anonymous donors for impacting the health trajectory of Armenian people, and making the world a healthier place,” Dr. Najarian said.

The donors were aware of Dr. Najarian’s connection to AAHPO. Dr. Najarian observed that any person who is involved with a charitable cause should make this connection known to others, as donations can come from unexpected places; “The funny thing about philanthropy is that it inspires more philanthropy. You never know when you might become part of a larger cycle of giving that impacts many people far beyond your immediate circle of influence. Helping others who are less fortunate is very rewarding.”

He added that members of the Armenian community and the local community are invited to support improved health care by participating in the Seventh Annual Run/Walk for Charity on November 4. The event raises funds to assist AAHPO’s Mission to provide medical support and education to local communities and Armenia.

Please donate directly to AAHPO to support our mission to assist Armenians here and in Armenia.

Imagine that you are a 45-year-old pediatrician who has spent your life caring for children with warmth, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to their well-being. Now imagine being forced to flee your clinic and your home, abandoning the life you have so treasured, thankful just to be alive with your partner and children in a new country.

This is the reality of Dr. Margarita Hasratyan, who with hundreds of other physicians and more than 120,000 other ethnic Armenians were forced to flee Artsakh in September 2023 – literally with only the shirts on their backs. Although grateful to find safe harbor in Armenia, Dr. Hasratyan faced formidable challenges.

“After we were displaced, my family was living in a rented house, barely making ends meet. My husband and I had no income, and we had two children to support,” Dr. Hasratyan remembered.

Dr. Hasratyan was not able to work because she lacked the credentials required by the Ministry of Health of Armenia. Fortunately, Dr. Hasratyan had connected previously with the AAHPO-Dr. Raffy Hovanessian Medical Education Program (Med Ed Program) which stood ready to assist the Artsakh physicians as they resettled in Armenia.

Because the Med Ed Program had already worked with 80% of the physicians in Artsakh, it had on file the information physicians needed to apply for credentialing. The Med Ed Program team in Armenia, led by Hambardzum Simonyan, MD, MPH, also leapt into action to provide any additional training or networking that was needed to assimilate the Artsakh physicians into the Armenian health care system. Along with assisting the physicians, the Med Ed Program helped to prevent a ‘brain-drain’ of physicians leaving Armenia to find employment elsewhere

“When crisis forced physicians from Artsakh to leave everything behind, the Med Ed Program gave them a way forward—transforming despair into resilience and safeguarding Armenia’s future in health care,” said AAHPO Board Member and distinguished medical expert Samuel Badalian, MD, PhD.

Dr. Hasratyan is just one example of the 359 physicians who, while practicing in Artsakh, received grants to travel to Yerevan for Continuing Medical Education (CME) that updated their skills and enhanced their medical knowledge, which no doubt saved lives.

Since 2023, when the physicians were forced to flee Artsakh, the program has nimbly shifted its focus from providing CME to becoming a professional lifeline for these physicians in Armenia. The Med Ed Program enabled the physicians to work and reside in Armenia.

“If it weren’t for the Med Ed Program, I wouldn’t be working right now,” said Dr. Hasratyan. “The support came at a time when we desperately needed it. Without the Med Ed Program, I truly don’t know where my family would be.” She also expressed gratitude for being enabled to provide health care to Armenian children (photo at right with patient).

AAHPO Board Member, medical researcher and educator John P. Bilezikian, MD, PhD noted: “It is hard to imagine the reality of these physicians and their families forced to leave behind, literally at a moment’s notice, a lifetime of work and family life in Artsakh to a warmly welcoming but utterly new environment. How this transformation occurred so quickly and successfully is a testament to the ability of the AAHPO-Dr. Raffy Hovanessian Medical Education Program to make possible a brighter future for our colleagues.”

Due to the resounding success of this program and the assimilation of these physicians into the Armenian health care system, plans are under active consideration to expand the scope of their educational opportunities. These plans will be announced in November at a fundraiser for the AAHPO-Dr. Raffy Hovanessian Medical Education Program.

“We are so grateful to the late, great Dr. Raffy Hovanessian for conceiving this program that has taken on a life of its own to impact the Armenian community in ways never anticipated,” said AAHPO President Lawrence V. Najarian, MD. “It is a great collaboration of Armenian health care providers as well as donors who have supported the program for 14 years. The Med-Ed Program has exceeded all expectations.”

Click Here to Read Comprehensive Update on Med Ed Program

AAHPO wishes to thank all who attended the May 9 dinner and lecture by Archpriest Fr. Nareg Terterian, who spoke on “Empathy in Action: Counseling Techniques for Managing Depression & Anxiety.” Along with being the pastor of St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church, Douglaston, NY, Fr. Tertrian holds a M.S.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor.

Objectives for the lecture.

AAHPO Board Member Arthur Kubikian, DDS, introduces Archpriest Fr. Terterian.

Archpriest Fr. Terterian shares guidance with AAHPO health care professionals.

Archpriest Fr. Terterian (seated, third from left) with AAHPO Board Members, members and spouses who attended the event at Sevan Restaurant.

By Bret A Nicks, MD, MHA, FACEP. Originally published on Medscape.com

Please note: This article does not mention another infectious disease that is still circulating the globe, Covid.

So much has changed since early 2020. The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) brought tremendous change econimically and with travel. Although COVID-19 remains in to post-pandemic mix of illness considerations, travel has resumed and is exprected to reach pre-pandemic numbers in the coming years. With this resumption, a renewed awareness of travel diseases for the traveler and healthcare provider must follow.

This slideshow provides essential information regarding 10 common health conditions associated with global travel.

WATCH THE SLIDESHOW

Now that we are having nicer weather, everyone is eager to get outside and enjoy it. However, there are some threats to your family’s safety. Below are some tips to protect them, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sun Safety
Spending time outside is a great way to be physically active and reduce stress. You can work and play outside without raising your skin cancer risk by protecting your skin from the sun.

UV rays can reach you on cloudy and cool days, and they reflect off of surfaces like water, cement, and sand. In the continental United States, UV rays tend to be strongest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daylight saving time. LEARN MORE

Prevent Tick Bites
Reducing exposure to ticks is the best defense against tickborne diseases. Tick exposure can occur year-round, but ticks are most active during warmer months (April-September). You and your family can take several steps to prevent tick bites. LEARN MORE

Prevent Mosquito Bites
Take steps to protect yourself and your family from mosquito bites that can make you sick. Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents. Wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants. Wear clothing and gear treated with permethrin. Control mosquitoes indoors and outdoors. LEARN MORE

Air Quality
Outdoor air quality has improved since the 1990s, but many challenges remain in protecting Americans from air quality problems. The EPA regulates six pollutants as “criteria” air pollutants. It regulates them using human health-based and environmentally based criteria. Ground-level ozone and particle pollution are two of these criteria pollutants. The other pollutants are carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur oxides. LEARN MORE

Lightning Strikes
Lightning can strike anyplace on Earth. In fact, there are about 6,000 lightning strikes every minute, which is more than 8 million strikes every day. You can protect yourself and your loved ones if you know what to do when you see lightning or when you hear thunder as a warning. Learn indoor and outdoor safety tips to protect yourself and your loved ones from lightning. LEARN MORE

On National Doctors Day, AAHPO celebrates the dedication, compassion, and expertise of healthcare professionals who work tirelessly to heal, comfort, and make a difference in the lives of others. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to caring for us all!

AAHPO Board Member Tsoline Kojaoghlanian, MD, a pediatrician specialized in Infectious Diseases at Maimonides Medical Center, provided guidance this week in a WCBS | CBS New York news report about the current measles outbreaks. She emphasized the seriousness and dangers of this infection, & how to prevent it. Read the full article and click the image to watch the video:

Dr Kojaoghlanian says “The majority of children with measles will recover after a prolonged debilitating illness. However, 1 out of 500 infected children will develop brain infection, which can be either fatal or leave the child with severe intellectual disabilities; and 1 out of 15 infected children will develop a pneumonia that will need intensive care and a breathing tube to treat. That’s why we want to prevent this infection with vaccines, which have been around for 40 years, and are very safe and effective. As you can imagine, the higher the number of measles cases gets, the higher the number of children with the complications of and fatalities from measles.”

Canned tuna products sold at major stores nationwide are being recalled for a potential botulism risk.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently posted a notice that Tri-Union Seafoods is recalling select lots of canned tuna products sold under the Genova, Van Camp’s, H-E-B and Trader Joe’s brand names.

The recall is being made out of an abundance of caution following a notification from the company’s supplier that the “easy open” pull tab can lid on limited products encountered a manufacturing defect that may compromise the integrity of the product seal (especially over time).

This can cause it to leak, or worse — be contaminated with clostridium botulinum, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning.

Consumers are warned not to use the products, even if they do not look or smell spoiled, according to the recall notice. Those feeling unwell should seek immediate medical attention.

READ FDA POSTING

AAHPO member Dr. Tro Kalayjian is a board-certified physician in Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine and Medical Director of Toward Health. He recently published a paper in Frontiers of Nutrition which presents research confirming the health benefits of lifestyle-based metabolic care. Key findings include:

• 15.5% average body weight loss (43 lbs at 12 months)
• 76% of patients still losing weight at one year
• $2,000 saved per patient in deprescription costs
• 2 fewer medications per patient

READ MORE

By Samuel Badalian, Chair of Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bassett Healthcare Network

I’m thrilled to share a major milestone for hashtag#Urogynecology in hashtag#Armenia! Today, our five fellows officially received their licenses from the hashtag#Ministry of Health, allowing them to practice the newly established subspecialty of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery.

This achievement is the result of four years of dedication and hard work. Since launching in 2021, our Urogynecology fellowship has trained specialists who can now provide evidence-based care in Armenia. This program was organized and implemented by the International Urogynecological Association for Armenia and supported by the Foundation for Urogynecological Assistance (FIUGA).

Congratulations to our fellows and everyone who contributed to this success!

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