YEREVAN (Armenpress)–A well-known heart surgeon Hrayr Hovagimian–an Armenian American–was awarded the medal and certificate of Honorable Citizen of Yerevan by Yerevan mayor Albert Bazeyan.
The Mayor said the services rendered to Armenia by the surgeon were hard to overestimate. "Being a US citizen–Hovagimian could work and live in the US–but he thought it would be more benefitial for him to go to his ancestors’ land to help people with heart problems and save the lives of many of them," said the mayor.
Hovagimian and his team did about 2,600 of the most complicated operations in Yerevan’s Nork Marash hospital over the last seven years. His patients included people from Russia–Ukraine–Georgia–Iran and other countries.
"I am happy for being helpful to my compatriots," said the 47 year old surgeon upon receiving the medal. Hovagimian is dividing his duties between Yerevan and Portland in the US–where he also works at a local clinic.