Orange supports “Bringing Sight to Armenian Eyes” program in Shirak

In the scope of the joint project of the Armenian EyeCare Project and Orange Foundation, the inhabitants of Shirak region benefit from free eye care services: Aragatsotn to come next

Shirak region, September 23, 2015 – In the scope of the “Bringing Sight to Armenian Eyes” project – the joint initiative of the Armenian EyeCare Project (AECP) and Orange Foundation, the Mobile Eye Hospital has already been making its 3rd visit to Shirak region since September 14. The project aims at carrying out free eye screenings for the population of the region and providing treatment to socially vulnerable inhabitants. Local specialists have already carried out eye screenings in Shirak region in July-August and, as a result, those in need of in-depth examination and further treatment have been referred to the Mobile Eye Hospital (MEH). The Mobile Eye Hospital already finished working in Maralik town, where free eye surgeries were performed and treatments provided and is now located in Artik. Parallel to these works, classes on eye care are organized in public schools and eye screenings are being carried out for children.

The management of Orange Foundation and Armenian EyeCare Project visited Artik town on September 23 to review ongoing works performed in the Mobile Eye Hospital, as well as eye screenings conducted in Artik school.

“In the scope of our 5-year partnership with the Armenian EyeCare Project, more than 82.000 inhabitants of regions have benefited from quality eye care services. Among the projects implemented by Orange Foundation we especially stress the importance of this one, as it makes real and tangible difference in the lives of people, helping many of them correct visual problems and even regain long-lost sight.  After Shirak region the medical groups will head to Aragatsotn region, where eye screenings have been already launched by local ophthalmologists,” said Lilit Martirosyan, General Secretary of Orange Foundation.

“I’m glad that thanks to our ongoing partnership with Orange Foundation we are implementing this project in the regions of Armenia. In Shirak region we’ve planned to carry out eye screenings for 2000 schoolchildren and adults each, to examine 650 patients in the Mobile Eye Hospital, and perform 300 surgeries or laser treatments. I hope that in the scope of this project, which is very important and useful to the inhabitants of regions, we’ll continue our partnership with Orange Foundation”, said Nune Yeghiazaryan, Country Director of the Armenian EyeCare Project.

The Mobile Eye Hospital will stay in Artik till September 26 and after will head to Akhuryan town.

This year’s project will end in Aragatsotn region, where the local ophthalmologists will carry out preliminary eye screenings for local population, in order to reveal cases requiring intervention. At the end of October, the Mobile Eye Hospital will visit Aparan, Talin and Ashtarak towns, where free eye surgeries and laser treatments will be performed for the socially vulnerable population, who in the preliminary stage of screenings were diagnosed with problems requiring intervention.

To remind, that the Armenian EyeՑare Project has launched the “Bringing Sight to Armenian Eyes” project in 2003. Since 2011, the project has been implemented in partnership with Orange Foundation. Since then, eye screening services have been provided to more than 60.000 adults and 22.800 children, 10.759 inhabitants have undergone in-depth examination and 6.317 surgeries and laser treatments have been performed in the Mobile Eye Hospital, 24.793 eyeglasses have been distributed and classes on eye care have been organized for 4.900 children of 61 regional schools.