These programs include:
- Large-scale vaccination initiatives targeting children, youth, women of child-bearing age and at-risk health care workers.
- Screening and treatment of pregnant women to prevent perinatally transmitted diseases such as hepatitis B and HIV.
- Screening and treatment to eliminate intestinal parasites in school-age children.
- Screening and treatment of newborns for congenital hypothyroidism to prevent retardation
- Automation of medical data and disease surveillance.
The strategy underlying Foundation programs is to create mechanisms of sustainability by strengthening the existing health care infrastructure and avoiding the establishment of parallel structures. The Foundation staff works with local health authorities to plan every aspect of the programs. Regular training and educational seminars for health care workers ensure that each program meets international standards. All programs are implemented by local health professionals. Foundation representatives monitor and assess progress and work with health authorities to solve problems as they arise. Each program is designed to be self-sustaining within 3 to 5 years from inception.
At present the Foundation supports children’s health programs in the Russian Federation, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and the West Bank. To date, over 10 million children and young adults have been saved from illness, suffering and in some instances even death through the efforts of the Foundation.
Founded in 1991 by Maestro Rostropovich, the world-renowned Russian cellist, and his wife, the soprano Galina Vishnevskaya, the RVF is a publicly-supported non-profit 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington , D.C. The RVF also maintains offices in St. Petersburg, Russia; Baku, Azerbaijan; Tbilisi, Georgia; Yerevan, Armenia and Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Dushanbe Tajikistan and Ramallah in the West Bank.
For more information on what we do, please click on the links below for 1 page summaries on our programs in each country in which we work.
• Armenia
• Azerbaijan
• Georgia
• Kyrgyzstan
• Russia
• Tajkistan
• West Bank and Gaza
