| «ARABKIR» JOINT MEDICAL CENTER & INSTITUTE OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT HEALTH

World Asthma Day Coverage by Public TV

On the occasion of World Asthma Day, the News crew from the Public TV Company visited the “Arabkir” Medical Center to highlight the importance of asthma awareness and management. Dr. Astghik Baghdasaryan, Head of the Respiratory Medicine, Allergology, and Immunology Service, provided expert insights in response to the journalist’s questions.   The “Arabkir” Medical Center remains committed to supporting children living with asthma through a comprehensive approach that includes accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and consistent outpatient follow-up care. Timely medical consultation is essential, and we urge parents to remain vigilant for early symptoms.   We express our sincere gratitude to the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/hfcarmenia?__cft__[0]=AZXdagj1o4hUElIXJ-2_DRbYe82rJg2piXg7CFKCX8IPiWn0vL3_VPh4F0YjRQjgs4b3-_V11FjQRVW7O9vdPZvIQS1AeIwquJHsTukKQf91aE5EtKrxfLqPAFuR7wzxgixByH6u4GUhP_6jNncChQTlyJNQ6tJE_SGjj68FAwdGBFM6EOSk8qrFZZnnypnm_NCOtAT_y1DWWDQlZ2wfa2iE&__tn__=-]K-R">Health Fund for Children of Armenia (HFC Armenia)</a> for their continued support in the provision of necessary medications. <ul> <li> Deep breaths, long exhalations, exercising on a treadmill. These are part of the diagnostic process for bronchial asthma, a chronic condition often influenced by genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Dr. Astghik Baghdasaryan, Head of the Respiratory Medicine, Allergology, and Immunology Service at the Arabkir Medical Center, explains: “The problem is related to the bronchial tree. If we imagine it as a network of tubes resembling a tree, during asthma episodes, these airways narrow, making it difficult for the child to breathe — particularly to exhale. It takes longer for the air to leave the lungs.”    Asthma typically presents with symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing, and crackling sounds in the lungs. Since these symptoms can also be found in other conditions, timely medical evaluation is crucial for an accurate diagnosis. Dr. Baghdasaryan continues: “In preschool-aged children, about one in three may show asthma-like symptoms — wheezing during and outside of viral infections. Many of these children outgrow the condition, but for some, it persists beyond the age of 4 or 5, when we begin to classify it as asthma.”    Various risk factors can contribute to the development of asthma, and exposure to allergens often triggers flare-ups. To identify such allergens, a skin prick test may be recommended. “We perform respiratory allergen tests on the skin to determine whether there is an allergic component involved,” says Dr. Baghdasaryan.   Like other chronic conditions, asthma requires long-term monitoring and management. Early diagnosis and intervention can greatly improve outcomes, and in many cases, children may eventually outgrow the condition. “The main medications used to treat asthma are inhaled therapies,” notes Dr. Baghdasaryan. “Unfortunately, many of these are not registered or available in our country. However, with support from the Health Fund for Children of Armenia and approval from the Ministry of Health, we are able to import and provide these essential medications to children under dispensary supervision.”   To improve asthma care across the country, specialists from Arabkir Medical Center — which holds an international certificate from the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology — are also training regional healthcare providers. This decentralized approach aims to make asthma diagnosis and treatment more accessible within local communities. </li> </ul> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TA8xYuOrycs" width="640"></iframe>

World Asthma Day

The first Tuesday of May marks World Asthma Day. This year’s theme is “Make inhaled treatment accessible to all.” The “Arabkir” Medical Center, together with the Health Fund for Children of Armenia, supports this initiative by showcasing the program implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Health. The goal remains the same: to map asthma across Armenia and decentralize its management, bringing services closer to patients and ensuring that necessary asthma medications are accessible to all children in need. <a href="http://www.facebook.com/ArabkirJMC/videos/1404166620524406">Watch this video featuring Astghik Baghdasaryan</a>, Head of the Respiratory Medicine, Allergology, and Immunology Service at “Arabkir” Medical Center, for more details.

Allergology and Immunology: symposia

At the “Aravot Luso” program booth of the Public TV Company, Astghik Baghdasaryan, Head of the Respiratory Medicine, Allergology, and Immunology Service at the “Arabkir” Medical Center, discussed the “Allergology, Immunology” symposium and the modern achievements of allergology, including their availability in Armenia.   <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ArabkirJMC/videos/446841641617888">https://www.facebook.com/ArabkirJMC/videos/446841641617888</a>

Allergology/Immunology International Hybrid Symposium of Armenia

The Allergology/Immunology International Hybrid Symposium of Armenia was conducted through the collaborative efforts of the “Arabkir” Medical Center, International Center for Professional Development (ICPD) and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), in partnership with the Ministry of Health and professional associations within Armenia’s healthcare sector.  The conference was held in a hybrid format, bringing together a diverse audience, including family physicians, pediatricians, allergists, infectious disease specialists, dermatologists, pulmonologists, anesthesiologists, intensive care specialists and emergency medicine specialists, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of this field.   Presentations were delivered by experts from Armenia, as well as renowned hospitals and universities in the USA and Europe. The distinguished guests of the conference included Susanne Halken, Clinical Professor of Pediatric Allergology at the Research Unit of Pediatrics at the University of Southern Denmark; Philippe Eigenmann, Professor of Pediatric Allergology at the Geneva University Hospital; and Ana Margarida Neves, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon and Coordinator of the Department of Pediatric Allergology at the Department of Pediatrics. The symposium was chaired by Raffi Tachdjian, MD, Master of Public Health, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics in the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Philippe Eigenmann from the Geneva University Hospital and Astghik Baghdasaryan from “Arabkir” MC-ICAH served as co-chairs.