On July 1, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan received the delegation led by Head of the UCLA Division of Head and Neck Surgery Akira Ishiyama, Director of the UCLA Nursing Department and International Relations and AIMF President Salpy Akaragian and Head of the Division of Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases of Erebuni Medical Center Artur Shukuryan.

The experts have conducted snail invasive surgeries at Erebuni Medical Center, allowing many children and adults to have the ability to speak and listen and integrate into society.

Minister Hranush Hakobyan expressed special gratitude to Japanese expert Akira Ishiyama for putting in his time and efforts to provide Armenian children with medical treatment and providing Armenian experts with the wonderful opportunity to exchange experiences.

The minister granted the Gold Medal of the RA Ministry of Diaspora to Akira Ishiyama.

Expressing gratitude for the award, the Japanese expert mentioned that Armenia has brilliant experts and that the results of all surgeries have been wonderful.

The RA Minister of Diaspora expressed gratitude to Armenian American expert and benefactor Salpy Akaragian and mentioned that the initiative to help Armenian children serves as a brilliant example of the Armenia-Diaspora partnership. “Since 2004, Erebuni Medical Center has been rearmed with the required state-of-the-art equipment through the efforts of the AIMF, and at the initiative of Mrs. Akaragian, to this day, the best doctors and Armenian experts of UCLA have conducted surgeries for 86 patients, and 9 patients this year.”

Hranush Hakobyan granted the Boghos Nubar Medal of the RA Ministry of Diaspora to Salpy Akaragian for her pro-national activities, her charities in Armenia and abroad and for strengthening the active ties between Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora for the past 25 years.

The minister also expressed gratitude to Head of the Division of Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases of Erebuni Medical Center Artur Shukuryan for helping restore the vision and listening of several Armenian children through effective cooperation with foreign and Diaspora Armenian experts.