YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–An Armenian branch of the World Children’s Transplant Fund (WCTF) has been set up on the basis of the "Arabkir" and "Nork-Marash" medical centers and Yerevan’s hospital No. 8. One of the founders of the "Arabkir" medical center–Director Ara Babloyan said the main goal of the branch’s establishment is to help children who need the most help of all.
Valery McCaffrey–a WCTF Board member–spoke on behalf of the WCTF. She promised support to the Armenian fund. She added that assistance will consist in personnel training–infrastructure development–and logistical support. Eleven doctors are expected to be trained in the USA soon. The Foundation will not pay for surgeries.
Babloyan dwelt on the legislation that regulates transplant matters. Journalists paid special attention to the fact that unlike previous years–now the law allows the use of human organs for transplant. In this connection–Babloyan said that the main thing in law is that organs cannot be objects for purchase or sale. As for the possible export of organs from Armenia to other countries for transplantation purposes–Babloyan said Armenia will regulate this issue in accordance with international norms. As for borrowing organs from corpses–the issue can be solved favorably only if a person beforehand gives consent to his organs being donated after his death and if this consent is certified by a notary’s office or if there is a permission of a donor’s close kin.
Babloyan and Director of the "Nork-Marash" medical center Hrair Hovakimian shared the journalists’ concern about possible violations of the law in the matter of transplant of organs. They underlined that it is corresponding bodies rather than doctors that must attend to violations.