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ASOF Health Sciences Committee Strategic Plan

ASOF Annual Conference, Dilijan, Armenia

June 19, 2026

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Health Sciences Committee Members

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Viken Babikian, MD

Vascular Neurologist,  Professor Neurology, Boston University, Executive Committee Armenia Stroke Council

David Essayan, MD

Clinical Immunologist, Biotech executive, 30 years developing new therapeutics, former US FDA Supervisory Medical Officer, Board member American University of Armenia

Susan Jerian, MD

Medical Oncologist, Biotech Executive, 30 years developing new anti-cancer therapeutics, former US FDA Supervisory Medical Officer

Shakeh Kaftarian, PhD

Medical Psychologist/Research Scientist at the US NIH, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, and Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Retired.

Armine Lulejian, EdD, MPH

Educator, training program architect, health/informatics; 25 years in academia, developed health informatics training program in Armenia

Jerry Manoukian, MD

Internal Medicine, Continuing Medical Education

Mariam Manoukian, MD, PhD

Practicing physician, writer, specializing in preventive medicine, diabetes, lifestyle medicine, menopause

Shant Shekherdimian, MD, MPH

Surgeon, Professor Pediatric Surgery, UCLA, Advisor to Ministry of Health, Republic of Armenia, Leadership of Multiple Healthcare NGOs in Armenia

Ara Tekian, PhD, MHPE

Educator, Associate Dean Office of International Education, Professor and Director International Affairs at Dept of Medical Education, University of Illinois

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Interesting Facts about Healthcare in Armenia

  • Out of pocket expenses (2023): 80.5%
    • Global average 17.33%, Russia 28.4%, USA 10.9%
    • Launched 1st phase of universal health care Jan 2026. Roll out to complete in 2029.

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  • Maternal Mortality Rate 19.5/100,000 live births (2023)
    • Global average 197, Russia 9.4, USA 16.6,
  • Neonatal Mortality Rate 5.3/1,000 live births (2023)

Global average 17.3, Russia 1.7, USA 3.4

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  • Overall Mortality rates: deaths/100,000 by cause (WHO 2021)

Cause Armenia Russia USA

Ischemic heart disease 379 341 146

COVID 245 404 124

Cancer 180 197 174

Stroke 90 208 51

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Data from World Bank, OECD, CDC, WHO

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Interesting Facts about Healthcare in Armenia

  • Medical Education
    • Undergraduate 6 years (combined bachelors and masters = MD equivalent); must pass state exams

Limited patient interactions

Medical Students from Armenia + 33 countries (~3,000 students of which 45% are international)

    • Postgraduate 1-4 years (NIH and YSMU)

Students can select specialty of their choice and must pay tuition; no limits on selection

72 different specialties (no standardized board exams)

Mostly unstructured

    • Limited faculty development
    • Optional Masters of Public Health
    • Continuing Medical Education (CME) – 2016-23 adoption of 220 hrs/5 yrs requirement
    • Yerevan State Medical University is the only state owned (public) medical university
    • 8-9 private medical colleges
    • Standards for education set by Ministry of Education, Curriculum by Ministry of Health in conjunction with NIH and YSMU

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Markosian, Sargysyan, Shariff, et al. Medical Education in Armenia: An Overview, J. Med Ed and Curr Dev, 2023

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Interesting Facts about Healthcare in Armenia

  • Doctors per 10,000 = 44.8 (16th in the world)
  • Global average 17, USA 26, Russia 51
  • BUT, distribution is skewed substantially

Rate Region(s)

15.7-20.6 Armavir, Gegharkunik, Syunik, Ararat, Aragatsotn, Tavush

20.7-25 Vayots dzor, Kotayk, Lori, Shirak

93.8 Yerevan

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Data from World Bank, OECD, CDC, ARMSTAT

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Initial Areas of Prioritization

  • Medical education improvement to align with standards of top tier international medical societies
  • Access to good quality health care especially in the rural regions
  • Primary care expansion (Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, OB-GYN, Mental Health)
  • Digital tools incorporated throughout the healthcare system (e.g., electronic health records, digital health devices for monitoring)

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Health Science Committee Background

  • June 2025: ASOF determined that Health Sciences is a priority
  • The ASOF Health Sciences Committee (HSC) established in 2026
  • The Committee has developed a strategic plan that includes:
  • A framework in which the HSC will establish a sustainable workflow
  • Identification of aspects of health sciences in which ASOF can provide added value to Armenia
  • A formal process for external organizations to access ASOF health sciences experts
  • Principles of engagement
  • Initial Projects

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Framework for Project Development

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Landscape Assessment and Analysis

Medical Education

Government and Institutional Capacity Building

Landscape Assessment and Analysis

Government and Institutional Capacity Building

Landscape Assessment and Analysis

Focused Projects and Action Plans

Medical Education

Institutional, Government, and Public Health Capacity Building

Landscape Assessment and Analysis

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Principles of Engagement and Assumptions

  • Objectives and Deliverables
    • Clearly articulated with measurable outcomes
  • Collaborate with Armenia institutions
    • At decision making and operational levels
  • Collaborate with Armenia government agencies
    • Informal and Formal
    • When necessary, government agreements on aspects of projects
  • Coordinate with other NGOs
  • Sustained engagement of key collaborators
  • Communication across stakeholders
  • Timelines
    • To include transition plans where applicable
  • Incorporate Program management tools
  • Identify and sustain sources of funding

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Initial Health Sciences Proposals for 2026

  • Landscape Assessment and Analysis
    • Healthcare NGO survey (primary care setting)
    • EHR/EMR survey
  • Institutional, Government, and Public Health Capacity Building
    • Strengthening Health System Governance and Policy within the Government
  • Medical Education (general)
    • Program to provide access to ASOF Experts:
      • Establish semi-formal agreements with Health Sciences Education programs and NGOs that would benefit from having access to ASOF members
      • Initial candidates include FAR, HENAR, HFA, AUA, YSMU, NIH, ICPD, AMIC
  • Focused Projects and Action Plans
    • (Medical Education) Masters Degree program in Health Professions Education
    • (Public Health) Cancer Prevention, Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment Program
      • Initial project for Cervical Cancer for PoC, followed by Breast, Colon, and Lung Cancers

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Landscape Assessment and Analysis

  • Health Care NGO Survey (primary care setting)
      • The goal is to survey the NGOs delivering primary care services in rural Armenia, develop a detailed map of these services, estimate the populations they serve, and identify existing gaps and unmet needs.

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  • Electronic Health Records Survey
      • Identify which EHR systems are currently in use across Armenia.
      • Assess the strengths, weaknesses, and key improvement opportunities within existing systems.
      • National Hospital Survey, Focus Groups, Usability Assessment, Synthesis and Analysis of findings, Application to health indicators, Educational program development

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Institutional, Government, and Public Health Capacity Building

  • Strengthening Health System Governance and Policy within the Government
    • Targeted institutional assessment
    • Leadership development
    • Policy process optimization
    • Technical support

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  • Areas of focus
    • Policy formulation
    • Regulatory oversight
    • Inter-ministerial coordination
    • Resource allocation
    • Performance management
    • Mechanisms for incorporating data, evidence, and public input into decision-making.�

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Focused Projects and Action Plans

  • Masters Degree program in Health Professions Education
    • Faculty development with internationally recognized curriculum
    • Develop sustainable undergraduate and graduate medical faculty pool
    • Foundational to advancement of medical education quality

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  • Cancer Prevention, Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment Program
    • Start with Cervical Cancer (proof of concept)
      • Meet WHO targets for vaccination and screening
      • Reduce morbidity, infertility and mortality
      • Establish clinical database and tissue repository
    • Add Breast, Colon, and Lung Cancers
    • Aligns with Ministry of Health focus on primary care (prevention and screening)
    • Supports universal health care program goals to improve health outcomes
    • Potential Cancer Control partnerships with other countries and international organizations.
    • Potential synergies with ASOF Life Sciences Task Force through translational science efforts which further aligns with Governmental Science priorities in Biotechnology

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Special Thank You

  • Vatche Sahakian, PhD
  • Lucineh Kassarjian

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Abbreviations

  • AMIC – Armenian Medical International Committee
  • ASOF – Armenian Society of Fellows
  • AUA – American University of Armenia
  • e.g. – “for example”
  • EHR – Electronic Health Record
  • EMR – Electronic Medical Record
  • FAR – Fund for Armenian Relief
  • HENAR – Health Network for Armenia
  • HFA – Health for Armenia
  • HSC – Health Sciences Committee
  • ICPD – International Center for Professional Development (icpd.am)
  • i.e. – “that is to say”
  • NGO – Non-governmental Organization
  • NIH – National Institutes of Health (of Armenia)
  • OB-GYN – Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • PoC – Proof of Concept
  • YSMU – Yerevan State Medical University

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Back up slides

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Landscape Assessment and Analysis

  • Before embarking on a specific project, background research, surveys, and due diligence will be undertaken
    • Clearly define the issue that has unmet needs
    • Determine the level of feasibility, importance, and impact
    • Generate project teams that will put together the action plans
  • Requests for specific assessments can be made by any of the 375+ ASOF members
  • Prioritization of requests
  • Work in conjunction with the existing ASOF Assessment Committee

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Institutional, Government, and Public Health Capacity Building

  • Medical schools, hospitals, pathology labs, outpatient clinics (especially in rural areas), and other healthcare associated organizations
  • Government ministries and entities/divisions serving those ministries (e.g. import/export, therapeutic approval, etc.)
  • Universal Health Care program support
  • Some projects may lead to establishment of new entities
  • Provide tools and trainings or in the case of new entities assist with start up activities
  • All projects will require engagement with in-country relevant institutions and government bodies
  • Generate specific project teams for particular initiatives

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Medical Education

  • Fundamental to all aspects of health science in Armenia
  • Undergraduate medical education
  • Residency and Fellowship
  • Continuing medical education
  • Educating the Educators
  • Coordination with established institutions and government bodies
  • Generate project teams focused on particular aspects of education

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