June 14, 2004

Preventing Blindness: A Top Priority at the Garo Meghrigian Eye Institute

Preventing blindness in Armenia – this is the bold and ambitious mission of the Garo Meghrigian Eye Institute for Preventive Ophthalmology (GMEIPO). The institute is located in Yerevan at the AUA Business and Conference Center, and was established in 1999 within the AUA Center for Health Services Research and Development of the College of Health Sciences.

“In our experience, screening over 6,000 children in Armenia’s summer camps and other vulnerable populations in the regions, we have found that a large majority of eye diseases and problems could be avoided with proper education, affordable access to regular eye examinations, and treatment,” said Naira Khachatryan, ophthalmologist, AUA graduate, and GMEIPO Program Manager, who is also completing her Doctorate in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. “Preventable blindness is such a tragedy, and playing a small part in preventing a single case or in restoring proper vision is immensely gratifying.”

Mr. and Mrs. Garo and Gloria Meghrigian generously contributed $500,000 to establish the Eye Institute in memory of their daughter, Christine Hripsime Meghrigian (Dec. 10, 1953-Feb 26, 1991). Mr. Meghrigian was experiencing a gradual loss of his eyesight, and he felt that adults as well as children may be facing similar situations in Armenia. It was his vision to help other Armenians not suffer the same fate by providing ongoing screenings in Armenia; educating eye care providers and the general public on scientific advances in detecting, preventing, and treating eye diseases; and more importantly, translating these advances into nationwide clinical practices. Mr. Meghrigian has passed away, but his wife Gloria and other family members have a keen interest in the ongoing work of the Institute to prevent blindness.

Continuing AUA’s track record of building relationships and partnerships with international and local agencies, most recently, the GMEIPO in partnership with Armenia’s Ministry of Health and the Ararat Lions Club, was awarded the Lions Club International Foundation SightFirst grant to improve eye care in Gegharkunik Marz. “This collaborative project is comprehensive and system-oriented. It establishes a regional ophthalmic unit in Sevan to provide eye care on the district level, strengthening local infrastructure, and providing services in the Marz currently only available in Yerevan,” said Michael Thompson, Director of AUA’s Center for Health Services Research and Development. “GMEIPO’s plan is to develop a mode of organizing, financing, and delivering regional ophthalmic services for Armenia that could be replicated as a national model of quality and affordable medical services. Unlike other humanitarian efforts that simply provide care, GMEIPO focuses on developing infrastructure, local expertise, and sustainable systems.”

GMEIPO will be taking the lead to build a regional ophthalmic unit according to Armenia’s Ministry of Health standards and equipped per the World Health Organization standard list. Human resources will be developed, and training will consist of international experiences, local academic training, and local practical training covering both treatment and management skills. Together, GMEIPO and the Ministry of Health will establish village examination centers, and will complete mass screenings of approximately 20,000 people who are over the age of 50 in the Gegharkunik Marz. All prevalent cases of bilateral blinding cataract, estimated at 1,000-1,500, in the Marz, will be identified and treated during a one and a half year period.

“AUA is proud of the Garo Meghrigian Eye Institute and its outstanding achievements. All of the AUA academic programs operate research and development centers rooted in their academic fields that strive to impact the community, to help improve the lives of individuals, and also to serve as examples and catalysts for systemic change,” said AUA President, Haroutune Armenian.

GMEIPO actively participated in the Boarding School Visual Impairment Project - 2002, supported by UNICEF/Armenia and the Jinishian Memorial Fund.