The Armenian EyeCare Project is commemorating its 30th anniversary by celebrating the milestone with a series of events, both in the U.S. and Armenia. The AECP’s 62nd Medical Mission to Armenia concluded in October, encompassing several momentous events that marked the organization’s 30-year-long dedication to advancing healthcare in Armenia.
This included the AECP’s 20th International Conference organized alongside Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) and Armenia’s Ministry of Health; visits to AECP facilities like its Mobile Eye Hospital and Regional Eye Centers; a special High Order that was appointed to AECP Founder Dr. Roger Ohanesian by the President of Armenia and much more! Here is a brief synopsis of the recent events in Armenia and the U.S.:
Continuing the tradition that began back in 1992, AECP volunteer physicians traveled again this year to Armenia to hold master classes and share experiences with their Armenian peers; provide hands-on training and perform simulation exercises as well as real surgeries together. Over the years this invaluable opportunity has built the capacity, knowledge and expertise of Armenian ophthalmologists and developed long-lasting partnerships with physicians from the U.S. and Europe.
During this year’s trip, one volunteer physician, Dr. Mitra Gonzales performed over 20 surgeries together with Armenian doctors including an orbital decompression procedure that was done in Armenia for the first time! A cutting-edge technique of scleral fixation of an artificial lens called” Yamane technique” was introduced by another volunteer physician, Dr. Matthew Wade, who together with local doctors, successfully performed the operation at the Malayan Ophthalmological Center in Yerevan. Doctors Sarkis Soukiasian and John Hovhanesian worked on complicated cases together with Chief of the Corneal-Uveitis Clinic at the Malayan Ophthalmologic Center Dr. Anna Hovakimyan and her staff. This training of cutting-edge eye treatments ensures local doctors in Armenia are prepared to offer the best care possible to their country’s residents.
Top physicians from the U.S. and Europe also visited the John Ohannes Khachigian AECP Regional Eye Center in Gyumri to screen patients and to discuss complicated cases together with their Armenian peers. The regional eye care facilities AECP has been establishing across the country provide access to life-changing quality eye care services and allow for a timely detection of eye diseases, which helps to prevent complications and prevent blindness in the future.
Earlier this year, in partnership with French NGO Lumière Française, the AECP established the first Armenian-French Ophthalmic School within its Regional Eye Center in Gyumri with the goal of improving the skills and knowledge of local physicians through a series of training courses and hands-on practice. The joint program kicked off in April in Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city, becoming another strategic location that serves a large population that would otherwise be unable to access high-quality eye care services. Cooperation continued during the medical mission as well, as Dr. Marylin Nodarian visited Gyumri to see patients and train the staff, continuing to work in Gyumri for several days after the conference concluded.
The AECP team also visited its Mobile Eye Hospital (MEH) during the trip, which was stationed in the town of Yeghvard at the time. Led by AECP Founder Dr. Roger Ohanesian and AECP Country Director Nune Yeghiazaryan, the team of visiting physicians toured the mobile clinic, observed surgeries, met with patients and provided guidance to local physicians. More than 60,000 detailed eye examinations have been conducted on the MEH and over 25,000 surgeries have been performed since 2003 at no cost to residents of villages and towns across Armenia.
The AECP-CHLA 20th International Conference was held in Yerevan, Armenia from September 23 through October 5, as part of the AECP’s 62nd Medical Mission. The packed program included numerous lectures, professional discussions, master classes and workshops for health care providers (ophthalmologists, neonatologists, pediatricians and endocrinologists) as well as activities celebrating the AECP’s 30-year-long dedication to Armenia. The conference attracted over 400 in-person participants and more than 1,000 virtual participants, both from Armenia and other countries in the region.
The impressive lineup of conference speakers included lecturers from Armenia as well as physicians from top universities and hospitals in the U.S., Europe and Russia. Organized in collaboration with Armenia’s Ministry of Health, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, the World Diabetes Foundation and a number of medical associations in Armenia, the conference focused on various topics including glaucoma, refractive surgery, retinal disease, neuro-ophthalmology and oculoplastic, pediatric ophthalmology and corneal disorders. The second part of the Conference focused on general pediatrics, neonatology and pediatric endocrinology as well as new methods of pediatric disease diagnostics and treatment.
During the trip, Armenia President Vahagn Khachaturyan awarded the Order of Saint Mesrop Mashtots to AECP Founder Dr. Roger Ohanesian! This high order is awarded for outstanding achievements in the areas of health, science, invention, education, culture and social activities in Armenia as well as activities aimed at promoting partnerships with foreign states. Dr. Ohanesian is only the 106th recipient of this prestigious award for his distinguished achievements in healthcare and many years of patriotic and dedicated service to Armenia. Dr. Ohanesian’s humanitarian work was also recognized earlier this year by the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), which awarded Dr. Ohanesian with the foundation’s 2022 Chang-Crandall Humanitarian Award for his life-changing work in Armenia through AECP.
Despite the packed schedule, the AECP did carve out time to celebrate its 30th anniversary with its dedicated physicians and staff in Armenia. A tour of the Armenian Wine Museum was followed by a social gathering hosted by AECP Board Member Michael Sahakian. The extraordinary performance by “Geghard” vocal ensemble singing Armenian medieval melodies and folk songs by Armenian classical and contemporary composers was one of the highlights of the event. Certificates of Appreciation for 30 years of dedicated service were awarded to AECP physicians, volunteers, fellows, partners and staff with endless words of gratitude for their commitment and service.
As for upcoming events, the AECP is gearing up to celebrate its milestone 30th Anniversary Gala! On Saturday November 19, AECP will gather with dear friends and supporters at the Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach to celebrate 30 years of service in Armenia. The evening will include a fun cocktail reception, delicious dinner, live Armenian music by the Hosharian Brothers Band, thrilling auctions and more. For more information, visit www.eyecareproject.com/gala
TheArmenian EyeCare Project is a non-profit organization founded by Dr. Roger Ohanesian, a pioneer ophthalmologist based in California, who has been relentlessly pursuing the organization’s mission to eliminate preventable blindness in Armenia and provide access to quality eye care for every child and adult in the country since 1992. Guided by its vision for Armenia to become a country where no individual lives without access to quality eye care, where Armenian ophthalmologists are trained to diagnose and treat eye disease at the highest level and where preventable causes of blindness are eliminated through prevention and early intervention, the Armenian EyeCare Project has truly changed the landscape of eye care in Armenia. With vast accomplishments over the years, the Armenian EyeCare Project has enabled the country to transition from a Soviet system of centralized health care to a Western framework with new funding and delivery systems to ensure the highest quality of care for all.
