“LIGHT TO ARMENIAN EYES”
Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
June 6 2004
>>From May 17 to June 22 the charity organization “Armenian
Ophthalmologic Project” implements the program “Light to Armenian
Eyes” in Artsakh. We met with a group of ophthalmologists in Martakert
region. The minister of health Zoya Lazarian was there too. “Several
years ago the director of the organization Roger Hovhannissian living
in Los Angeles together with professor Malian arrived in Karabakh
from Yerevan and provided medical equipment to the republic hospital,”
said the minister. “Taking into account the lack of ophthalmologists in
Armenia and especially in Artsakh the organization decided to implement
a charity program involving leading specialists in the both Armenian
republics. The program was brought into being in Armenia and a year
ago receiving Roger Hovhannissian NKR president Arkady Ghukassian
suggesting implementing the program in Artsakh not after finishing
the visits to Armenian regions but in parallel. By the suggestion of
the NKR Ministry of Health the program of medical examination visits
involved not only Stepanakert but also the regions. The group has
already been in Hadrout and Martouni towns and villages, presently it
is in Martakert region. Then they will visit the upper subdistrict of
Askeran, the region of Shoushi, Kashatagh-Berdzor.” According to the
minister, the movable clinic consisting of the equipped surgery and
the theatre will remain in Stepanakert and the patients directed by
the examination groups will be operated on in the capital. “I repeat
that this is a charity action and examination is for everyone and free
of charge. Free operation is only for socially insecure people. And
another circumstance: similar collaboration is a peculiar schooling for
the local specialists. Our young specialists actively participate in
both the examination and operations,” said Zoya Lazarian. “It should
be mentioned that the group headed by doctor Avetissian works in the
region with great work load,” mentioned the director of the Martakert
Medical Union after R. Baziyan Sergey Ohanian. “It would be nice if
such medical examination was held at least once or twice a year. In the
regions (including ours) there is almost no ophthalmologic service and
few people can afford to leave for Stepanakert and Yerevan.” Touching
upon the problems of professional qualification, the minister of
health added that in Stepanakert she had asked Roger Hovhannissian to
work out a sponsored program for young ophthalmologists in Artsakh
to be implemented in Yerevan. “At least in this way we will manage
to fill the gap of professional specialists in our republic,” said
Zoya Lazarian.
NIKOLAY BAGHDASSARIAN