“I Have Never Stood or Walked”: Treatment for Spinal Muscular Atrophy Is Not Available in Armenia

17 September

The Scientific Director of the Arabkir Medical Center, Professor Ara Babloyan, welcomed Dr. Richard Babayan, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR), who arrived from the United States, along with Hambardzum Simonyan, Deputy Director of FAR’s Armenian branch and Health Programs Manager, and Arno Hovhannisyan, Healthcare Program Coordinator. Thanks to the longstanding cooperation between Arabkir Medical Center and FAR, numerous healthcare programs have been implemented over the decades. During the visit, the guests toured the medical center and visited the Edgar Housepian Epileptology Clinic, where over 4,150 patients receive continuous care and treatment. The clinic is among the regional leaders in advanced epilepsy diagnosis and treatment for both children and adults. It is named in honor of Professor Edgar Housepian, an internationally renowned neurosurgeon at Columbia University and Presbyterian Hospital in New York. “Professor Housepian made an immense contribution not only to the United States but also to the healthcare system of Armenia,” noted Professor Ara Babloyan during the meeting. “His most active involvement began after the 1988 earthquake. As coordinator of FAR’s medical programs, he organized the training of nearly 100 Armenian doctors in the United States.”The introduction of a modern model of continuous professional development in Armenia became possible largely due to Professor Housepian’s legacy. Those present expressed deep appreciation for his life, work, and lasting contributions to Armenian healthcare.The visit concluded with a roundtable discussion, attended by participants of FAR’s Continuing Medical Education program from medical institutions across Armenia, along with Armine Hakobyan, President of the FAR Fellowship Alumni Association (FAR FAA), and Bella Grigoryan, a member of the Board. “The Fund for Armenian Relief is one of the exceptional organizations that, since 1988, has set clear goals for developing all sectors of public life in Armenia and continues to move confidently toward achieving them,” emphasized Professor Babloyan at the conclusion of the meeting. Both parties expressed confidence that their partnership will continue and expand in the years ahead.

The Urology service of Arabkir Medical Center has developed a special focus on the correction of urethral injuries and defects. This week, at the invitation of Arabkir Medical Center’s professional team, Dr. Hunter B. Wessels, a surgeon from the Department of Urology at the University of Washington School of Medicine, USA, has arrived in Armenia. Surgeries will be performed with the participation of Dr. Wessels to correct complications resulting from urethral injuries. Within the framework of this cooperation, both children and adults with the mentioned condition will have the opportunity to undergo surgery, regardless of when or where their previous procedure was performed. Along with the specialists of Arabkir Medical Center, physicians who have previously treated these patients will also take part in the surgeries. LICENSE: C-MA-000455, issued on 26.05.2025.                                                                                                         Advertising Permit: N–MMA-00055, issued on 29.09.2025.

On September 25, the Scientific Director of the Arabkir Medical Center, Professor Ara Babloyan, welcomed the newly appointed Ambassador of Switzerland to the Republic of Armenia, Andrea Barbara Baumann. The cooperation between Arabkir Medical Center and Switzerland has a decades-long history. During the 1988 earthquake, Swiss doctors Jean-Pierre Bernard and Ernest Leumann were among the first to arrive in the disaster zone, offering their professional expertise and skills in service to the Armenian people. Since then, collaboration has continued, resulting in more than 30 Armenian-Swiss programs. The 31st initiative is the creation of the Nursing and Therapists Excellence Center. The meeting was also attended by Swiss partners of the Arabkir Medical Center — Pierrette Chenevard, member of the Board of Trustees of the Nursing and Therapists Excellence Center, and Manuel Salazar, expert in the organization of rehabilitation services. Discussions focused on the further development of the Armenian-Swiss Center for Excellence in Nursing and Therapists. The center’s mission is to enhance the effectiveness of nursing and therapy services in Armenia, supporting the professional growth and continuous development of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, psychologists, and other specialists. During the meeting, both sides expressed their appreciation for the progress achieved so far and their hope that this strong cooperation will continue, bringing positive outcomes for years to come.

Recently, the Arabkir Medical Center hosted members of a delegation from Nice, France, reaffirming more than 30 years of ongoing cooperation. The meeting held significant meaning, as it contributed to the continuous development of specialists at the Arabkir Medical Center and to the improvement of medical service quality. It also strengthens support for the Francophonie program in Armenia. The cooperation program provides opportunities to establish close ties with Armenia and to take active steps toward the advancement and development of the country’s healthcare sector. During their visit, the delegation met with nearly fifty French-speaking employees of the Arabkir Medical Center. The discussions focused on potential new directions and future cooperation programs, aiming to further enhance the scope and impact of this long-standing partnership.

Arabkir Medical Center has joined the largest healthcare event of the year — MedMeet 2025. The event will bring together leading professionals and healthcare enthusiasts from September 19 to 21 at the Meridian Expo Center. The program is open to all visitors. Arabkir Medical Center will present the work of its Plastic Surgery Service at MedMeet 2025. Visitors to the pavilion will have the opportunity to receive free consultations from the center’s plastic surgeons. Dr. Karlen Nersisyan, plastic surgeon at Arabkir Medical Center, will also take part in MedMeet Talks, answering questions and sharing professional insights․

Organ transplantation is one of the greatest achievements of modern medicine, enabling people to return to a full and healthy life. While some organ and tissue transplantation procedures are already performed in Armenia, cadaveric donation is not yet practiced. According to the World Health Organization, over 100,000 transplants are performed worldwide each year, a significant portion of which involve cadaveric donors. “We have all the resources for cadaveric donation. All that is needed is the will,” says Ara Babloyan. Watch the full details in the video.