Editor's note June 2020:  This project has evolved into the Stroke Initiative Advisory Task Force for Armenia (SIATA) under Dr Babikian's leadership.

This proposal is the result of collaboration among neurologists from Toronto, Boston, Armenia and elsewhere.

22 December 2012

Memo to:

• All-Armenia Fund
• President of the Republic of Armenia
• The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia
• Office of the Dean of the School of Medicine, Yerevan State Medical University

AMIC Stroke Initiative Group

Death rate from stroke in Armenia in 2011 was 132 per 100,000 population, over 4 times the rate of most western countries (source: worldlifeexpectancy.com).  Although some work is presently funded by the All-Armenia fund (Armenia Fund USA) at YSMU in the area of interventional vascular neurology, basic care of acute stroke in Armenia is lacking.

We have formed an international consortium of Diasporan neurologists after 2005, and subsequently a group of individuals in the subspecialty of stroke neurology has convened.  There is strong consensus that an overall stroke care strategy needs to be developed in Armenia, and that this overall strategy be rooted in the medical school and its hospital.  As such, the group requests the following, before they set themselves to action:

(A) Unified recognition by all stakeholders that a formal Stroke Program in Armenia will be created.  The All-Armenia Fund, The President of The Republic of Armenia, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia, and the Office of the Dean of the School of Medicine are kindly requested to consider offering their strong support, including through a formal letter addressed to AMIC’s Stroke Initiative.

(B) A Yerevan/Armenia based stroke task force group will be established.  Its task is to evaluate Yerevan's/Armenia's needs regarding stroke care, and establish a plan of action to achieve specific goals.  Its members consist of Armenia based physicians and political leaders/their representatives, in addition to members of AMIC's Stroke Initiative Group.

 (C) That our Stroke group be recognized by all the above as the official designated team and entity formally called towards collaborating with the stroke task force.  Some members of this group will also be members of the stroke task force.

Communications with the AMIC Stroke Initiative Group should be addressed to:

Viken Babikian, MD

Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine,

72 East Concord Street, C-327, Boston, MA 02118

United States of America

Ph: 617 638 8456

Email address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.   (All e-mail should be copied to the AMIC central office, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )

Thank you,

Jerry Manoukian, MD

President, AMIC