This trip to Syunik is a special one: we reached people who live in remote villages, where random people rarely find their way into. Getting there or getting out of there – that really isn’t easy. If something happens, an ambulance from Goris would arrive at the village of Bartsravan, lost among the snowy peaks, within two hours at best. This is because the old road no longer exists. It is now controlled by the enemy, calling these lands their own. So you have to get there through narrow paths newly cut through forests and gorges.
The situation is the same in Shurnukh, which is not only located on the border, but is literally divided into two parts by this border. From a number of houses here there is a view of houses standing on the other side of the road above which a blue, red, and green with a white crescent and star is fluttering. This is how they live: they work, sow, plant, build, create, raise their children and pay their last respects to old people. But they still don’t leave their native land.
Over three days in the villages of Bartsravan, Shurnukh, and Vorotan, we provided medical consultation to more than 120 people, including children. The locals haven’t had an opportunity to visit qualified doctors for a long time; some of them have been seen by specialized physicians, such as endocrinologist, ENT specialist, or traumatologist, for the first time in their lives. Most children have not been seen by a pediatrician since birth.
Almost all older people needed a consultation from an ophthalmologist, having been unable to wear glasses for years.
We promised these resilient people that we would definitely return and that is what we are going to do! The entire trip has become possible thanks to Tatyana Oganesyan, who stubbornly wants to reach everyone who needs help, but also motivates the entire team of doctors and volunteers, gives the strength not to give up and to do the best we can.
Credits: archive
