YEREVAN, August 31. /ARKA/. The Union of Armenian Doctors of France (UMAF) with the assistance of ACBA-CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK implemented a public health charity program in the Shirak region of Armenia called "Spectacles for Armenia", the press service of the bank reported.

It said UMAF doctors worked this year in 32 communities of the region examining 6000 children in the first stage of the program, of whom 450 appeared to have vision problems.

"We have been coming to Armenia to carry out this program for 15 years already. The equipment that we brought with us was provided by our Japanese partner company, and the spectacles and the frames were bought by the donations of the Armenian community of France," said Levon Artinyan, the head of the 9- member UMAF group.

In his words, the most important is that over the past two years, Armenian companies have been supporting the charitable programs of the union.

"We are very pleased that ACBA helps us being our first sponsor in Armenia and an old friend. For us it is very important that this program is promoted by Armenian companies. We need the help of Armenians living in Armenia," he said.

The group, led by Artinyan, provides annually 500 spectacles to both children and elderly.

ACBA was established in 1996 as part of EU’s TACIS program. As a result of a long-term and mutually beneficial cooperation between ACBA Bank and the French Credit Agricole the latter became the biggest shareholder of ACBA in 2006, September. ACBA was restructured, becoming a closed joint stock company and was renamed ACBA CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK. -0-