Down Syndrome Albania Foundation, on March 21, the World Down Syndrome Day, signed a memorandum of understanding with public and private health institutions. Dear media representatives, Dear journalists, As you may be aware today is March 21, World Down Syndrome Day. In the framework of this day with a focus on “Health and well-being of people with Down syndrome”, a focus dictated by Down Syndrome International for March 21, 2014, Down Syndrome Albania Foundation (DSA), the first and only of its kind in country, announces that it has reached important memorandum of understanding with 2 maternity hospitals in Tirana (“Koco Glozheni” and “Queen Geraldine” as well as with the two largest private hospitals in the country: American Hospital and Hygeia Hospital. These agreements will be signed tomorrow, in the scientific conference “Health and Welfare: Care and Equality for all” that the centers with a focus on Down syndrome in Albania, Down Syndrome Kosovo Organization and Down Syndrome Albania Foundation organize, at Hotel Rogner, Vienna Hall , from 09:30 – 17:00 In this conference has confirmed his participation and the Minister of Health, Mr. Ilir Beqaj who will give his speech at 10:00 Our foundation looks at cooperation with institutions health as one of the main forms for the implementation of policies for social support, education, in the field of human rights, health and education of people with Down syndrome and their families. Based on the Convention on Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, we consider very important the agreements and cooperation with institutions and other stakeholders to contribute to the promotion and support of the legitimate right of access, inclusion. and integration of people with Down syndrome. Through the Memorandum of Understanding between DSA and the two maternity hospitals in Tirana, through a continuous cooperation and communication the parties agree to support the new parents of children with Down syndrome, who will seek to know more about the new life that awaits them and the needs that their child has to help him / her develop his / her potential in order to enable an independent and inclusive life. Also in the context of supporting people with Down syndrome in Albania, and their families, DSA managed to sign a 3-year agreement with the two main private hospitals in the country, according to which persons with Down syndrome, being provided with an individual membership card at DSA and presenting it to these hospitals, will be able to benefit from a visit / consultation with a doctor free of charge as well as a 30% discount on all other diagnostic examinations. Agreements with these two private health institutions, DSA signed to offer a “service of choice and added value”, but also within one of its goals, that of starting the registration of people with Down syndrome living in Albania . This is the main reason why the person with Down syndrome must appear together with his family members to register in our database and get (FREE) the personalized card to benefit from the generosity of the American hospital and Hygeia, who we want to ‘we thank them publicly. We find it appropriate here to inform you that in parallel with our work to raise awareness, advocate for the cause of people with Down syndrome, we are also working to open a “Center for therapeutic services and training for life” for children and people with Down syndrome. Thanking you for your work and support in promoting our work, for the news to go to every home where a person with Down syndrome lives, we wish you good work! Respectfully, Emanuela Pepkola Zaimi Founder of Down Syndrome Albania
