The Karaghuesian Association for Child Welfare was established in 1941 with the support of the Karagheusian Foundation (based in New York, NY). The Association is registered under Permit No. 2899 signed by the Minister of Social and Interior Affairs at that time, HE, Mr. Saeb Salam, as a primary health care and is officially recognized as a non-governmental organization (NGO) by the Lebanese government.
The Karagheusian Association functions under the auspices of the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health and is a member of the High Council of Child Welfare in the Lebanese Ministry of Social Affairs.
The Association operates through several centers: A Primary Healthcare Center in Bourj Hammoud—an overpopulated city north of Beirut; an outreach clinic in Fanar Leilavan; and two small clinics in Ainjar and Mejdel Ainjar in the Beka’a Valley.
The Association also offers the community with a multifaceted social-assistance program, tutoring for at-risk youth, a study room, a summer camp, and a pioneering vocational-training program.
After the explosion in Beirut on August 4th, 2020, the center identified 100 Armenian families who were unable to visit the Association centers to receive care. In response, we organized a multidisciplinary team, including a physician, nurse, physiotherapist, phlebotomist, and social worker, to reach out with home care support in Lebanon.
With your contribution, support, involvement and partnership we were able to provide Primary Healthcare services to more than 130,000 patients' visits during 2021.
The Karagheusian Association in Lebanon focuses on mother and child development, with services ranging from medical and social to psychological and educational.
The primary goal of the Association is to provide services for the complete well-being of the child. Because children do not live in isolation, they cannot be helped without taking into consideration the family, the school, the neighborhood, the environment, and all the influences to which they are exposed. With this in mind, we strive to nurture the total development of children in their families and immediate surroundings.
Our holistic approach has succeeded in preparing each generation for a full, productive, and healthy life.
Our vision is to:
- Provide services for the complete well-being of the child and their family members.
- Relieve those in distress and support their physical, moral, and social development within their families and their immediate environment.
Three Pillars of Primary Care
- Prevention and educational campaigns
- Treatment
- Follow-up
Mr Garbis Markarian – Chairman
Ms Irina Lazarian – Vice Chairman
Mrs Sossie Balian – Secretary
Mr Raphael Oumoudian – Treasurer
Judge Zohrab Ayvazian – Legal Advisor
Mr Jean Salmanian, PhD – Advisor
Mr Sarkis Keushkerian – Advisor
Mrs Azadouhi Simonian – Advisor
Mr Vahe Barsoumian – Advisor
Mr Serop Ohanian –Executive Director
The role of the Karagheusian Association Lebanon Board of Directors Committee is to oversee the implementation of Karagheusian Foundation’s mission through the Association’s work and services, to advise, counsel, and lead the Executive Director in his community work. The board members are selected from the various Armenian communities in Lebanon
Besides caring and contributing directly to the public health of the community, the Association is a member of the following Lebanese and Armenian networks:
Lebanese Ministry of Public Health
Lebanese Ministry of Social Affairs
The Higher Council for Childhood in Lebanon:
Lebanon National Central Health Working Group
UNHCR Health & Nutrition working Group
Lebanon Non-Governmental Organization Forum Network
Lebanese Union for Child Welfare
Armenian Organizations
Committees:
Union of the Social Workers working in the Armenian Community
Zvartnots: Center for the Mentally Developmentally Challenged Armenian Children
Armenian Prelacy in Lebanon
Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East – Social Action Committee
Armenian Fund for Health Insurance in Lebanon (AFHIL)
Union of the Armenian Benevolent Organizations
The Association also maintains close ties and coordination efforts, through regular meetings and communications, with the following organizations:
Jinshan Memorial Program, St. Marc laboratory and diagnostic center, the Armenian Relief Cross in Lebanon, The AGBU, The CAHL, and various other Armenian organizations.
Since October 2019, the Lebanese economy was hit so badly which led to increasing in unemployment and a decrease in the purchasing power of the Lebanese people. Hence, the demand for medical services increased especially after the Beirut blast.
Karagheusian Primary Healthcare Center has been a circle of influence in providing accessible, affordable & high-quality primary healthcare services at almost free of charge for everyone, leaving no one behind.
The Karagheusian Primary Healthcare Unit functions with a multidisciplinary team of 100 healthcare workers including physicians, Registered Nurses, practical nurses, midwives, pharmacists, public health officers, psychologists, nutritionists, social workers, and alike.
We are committed to providing the best possible PHC services in cooperation, collaboration, coordination with our partners.
The Karagheusian PHC Circle of Influence
We are proud to present you our recent Annual Report.