Around Armenia In 18 Years: Dr. Lusine Sahakyan’s Travel Diary As One of COAF’s Veteran Medical Experts

The Children of Armenia Fund’s (COAF) Health Program Manager, Dr. Lusine Sahakyan has been with the organization for so long that she learned about the opening for her first role at COAF from a newspaper and arrived at the office with her resume printed out.

“The funny thing is, I didn’t even know the address for the office then. One of my acquaintances insisted that the position is perfect for me.” This is how Dr. Sahakyan began telling her story of how she joined the COAF world 18 years ago. Her travels with the organization began in three communities in Armavir and involved her conducting professional development training sessions for local medical staff. At the time, this format of “work” was novel, interesting, and a learning experience for both sides.

“Over the years COAF’s geography expanded and the healthcare programs team began working in over 50 communities in Tavush, Lori, Shirak, Armavir, and Aragatsotn as well,” says Lusine.

Today, Lusine is busy “taking measurements as she wanders through the 19 villages of Armavir” (she says jokingly) for the “Healthy Lifestyle Promotion In Schools” and the “Fight Against Tooth Decay” programs.

“Despite the fatigue at the end of the day, I usually go home feeling a sense of fulfillment from the work I’ve done. Thanks to COAF’s Healthcare Programs, I’ve had an indirect role in the improvement of the overall health of so many individuals,” concluded the doctor.

COAF’s doctors were actively involved in assessing the primary needs of individuals forcibly displaced from Artsakh and residing in COAF’s beneficiary villages.

The skills necessary for clearing a blocked airway (CPR) are first demonstrated on a mannequin and then practiced on the physician trainer.

As part of the “Healthy Lifestyle Promotion In Schools” program, intensive teacher training is carried out in several phases.

From 2008 to 2023, free screenings and consultations were conducted in 65 COAF beneficiary communities as part of the “Early Cancer Detection” program. In the last 6.5 years alone, 13,665 patients have benefited from the program.

At the health center in the village of Dsegh, Lori region, Lusine assists a doctor visiting from abroad in examining a patient.

Lusine educates visitors at COAF's booth during an awareness event, held as part of the nationwide healthy lifestyle campaign, about the importance of oral hygiene and teaches them proper tooth brushing techniques.

Learning to distinguish healthy food from an unhealthy diet through a game.

One of the components of the “Fight Against Tooth Decay” program is monitoring how frequently students brush their teeth through a data collection sheet placed in classrooms.

Dr. Lusine demonstrates how to provide first aid to an injured person for teachers educating students on healthy lifestyles.

A professional doctor must also be able to 'act injured' professionally when necessary.

At the semi finals for the middle school “First Aid” competition and the judge is fair and all seeing.

Demonstrating something once goes a much longer way than explaining it a thousand times.

Postcard From the Past

Seminar on the significance of early cancer detection for medical staff from 6 beneficiary villages in Armavir. Myasnikyan, 2006.

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