Late last month, Joseph Dagdigian and Vladimir Tchagharyan delivered six large bundles of hand woven blankets for newborns at the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) Mother and Child Clinic in Akhurian, a town next to Gyumri in the province of Shirak. 

The blankets and knitted baby clothes were donated by the Lowell ARS “Lousintak” Chapter and Anahid Yeremian of California.

The clinic, built by funding from the ARS Eastern Region, has been operating for the last 22 years. The clinic primarily serves the population of northern Armenia, but expectant mothers come from as far as Georgia, especially from the Armenian-populated region of Javakhk. 

Since its establishment, approximately 1,200 babies per year have been delivered at the clinic at no cost to the parents. The clinic is reimbursed for deliveries from an insurance-like program within the Armenian government. The clinic also offers services including vision and dental care for mothers. Children’s health services are provided until young adulthood.

Facilities include x-ray, MRI and sonogram laboratories. The clinic also has two ambulances.

https://armenianweekly.com/2019/06/24/lowell-ars-chapter-delivers-blankets-to-mother-and-child-clinic/