March 21st, World Down Syndrome Day

On March 21st, World Down Syndrome Day, Down Syndrome Albania Foundation, signed a memorandum of cooperation with public and private health institutions.

Dear representatives of the media,
Dear journalists,
As you may be aware, today is March 21st, World Down Syndrome Day. On this day, whose focus will be on the "health and welfare of individuals with Down syndrome", a focus chosen by the Down Syndrome International organization, the Down Syndrome Albania (DSA) Foundation, the first and the only one that supports individuals with Down syndrome in Albania, wants to announces that it has reached important agreements of cooperation with two maternity hospitals in Tirana, “Koco Glozheni” and “Queen Geraldine”, and the two biggest private hospitals in the country, the American Hospital and Hygeia Hospital.

These agreements will be signed tomorrow, during the conference “Health and Welfare: Care and Equality for all”, organized by two foundations that focus on individuals with down syndrome, Down Syndrome Albania and Down Syndrome Kosova. This conference will be held in the Rogner Hotel, Vienna Hall, from 09:30 to 17:00. The Minister of Health, Mr. Ilir Beqaj, has confirmed his participation in this conference and will give his speech at 10:00 am.

Our Foundation sees cooperation with health institutions as one of the main ways of implementing policies of social and educational support in the field of human rights, health and education of individuals with Down syndrome and their families.

Based on the Convention on Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, we regard these agreements and collaborations with institutions and interested parties as very important to the promotion and support of the legitimate rights of acceptance, inclusion and integration of individuals with Down syndrome.

Through the memorandum of cooperation between the DSA and the two maternity hospitals in Tirana, through a continuous cooperation and communication between the parties, we have agreed to offer support to parents of children with Down syndrome, who would seek to know more about the new life that awaits them and the needs of their children, and together helping them develop their potential in the pursue of living an independent life and inclusive life.

Through the memorandum of cooperation between the DSA and the two maternity hospitals in Tirana, through a continuous cooperation and communication between the parties, we have agreed to offer support to parents of children with Down syndrome, who would seek to know more about the new life that awaits them and the needs of their children, and together helping them develop their potential in the pursue of living an independent life and inclusive life.

DSA signed these agreements with the two private health institutions in order to provide a “service choice and added value”, as well as to work toward one of its goals, that of registering all individuals with Down syndrome living in Albania. That’s why it is essential that individuals with Down syndrome, accompanied by their family members, come and register in our database and receive their (FREE) membership card in order to benefit from the generosity of the American and Hygeia Hospitals, who we want to thank publicly.

Besides our work to increase awareness and advocate for the rights of individuals with Down syndrome, are working toward opening the “therapeutic services and life training center” for children and individuals with Down syndrome.

We would like to thank you for your work and support in promoting our foundation’s values and helping us reach every house where individuals with Down syndrome live. We wish you all the best!

Respectfully,
Emanuela Pepkola Zaimi
Down Syndrome Albania Founder