AECP opens John and Tanya Hovanesian Regional Diagnostic Eye Clinic in Artashat

The Armenian EyeCare Project’s John and Tanya Hovanesian Regional Diagnostic Eye Clinic is now operating at the Artashat Medical Center in the city of Artashat in Ararat region. 

The clinic was established with the support of Armenian EyeCare Project Vice President Dr. John Hovanesian and his wife, Tanya Hovanesian, and is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, giving residents of the region access to advanced eye examinations and outpatient treatment.

The Armenian EyeCare Project is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization founded in 1992 and dedicated to providing eye care to the Armenian people through five primary programs. Its mission is to eliminate preventable blindness and its causes in Armenia and make quality eye care accessible to all.

According to Armenian EyeCare Project Vice President John Hovanesian, who attended the inauguration with his wife, the organization has been working in Armenia for 34 years to train medical personnel, improve the quality of services provided, and establish the necessary infrastructure throughout the country.

“This is the only facility in Ararat Province that has been established by the Armenian EyeCare Project. Our goal is to develop it to the point where the capacity of the services provided is improved. First, perhaps, the possibility of laser treatment will be added for patients with diabetes and glaucoma, and then we will also perform surgeries. It is very important for Tanya and me to invest in a place where it will serve people to the greatest possible extent,” Hovanesian told reporters.

Nune Yeghiazaryan, Armenian EyeCare Project’s Armenia Country Director, noted that the Artashat center is the 16th medical facility established by the Project in Armenia.

“I can proudly say that there is at least one such medical facility in every region of Armenia, equipped with modern equipment. They make it possible to prevent difficult and serious diseases that can lead to blindness,” Yeghiazaryan said.

According to Shahane Mnatsakanyan, Deputy Minister of Health of Armenia, the new center is not simply another medical facility, but another important step toward making quality and safe healthcare services accessible to residents of the regions.

“For years, the EyeCare Project has carried out extensive work in Armenia: hundreds of thousands of eye examinations, thousands of surgeries, training and education for young ophthalmologists, and exchange of experience. I am confident that the center will serve as a hub for good vision and improved quality of life in Ararat Province,” the deputy minister said.

Hayk Hovhannisyan, Director of the Artashat Medical Center, added that the new center is highly important because the Artashat Medical Center previously did not provide such services.

“Until now, the service was provided through mobile services, whereas from now on people will receive it right in their own community. Starting early next year, we are also planning to expand this by adding surgical services,” Hovhannisyan said.

The Armenian EyeCare Project has been implementing a large-scale program since 2015 aimed at restoring the eye healthcare system in Armenia’s regions. The establishment of the Artashat Regional Diagnostic Eye Clinic is part of this program. From 2015 to 2020, five regional eye care centers were established, equipped with the necessary equipment and capabilities for diagnosis and surgery.