Epress.am News from Armenia
Razmik Yolchyan, a 26-year-old native of the town of Gavar, was drafted into the Armenian Armed Forces in 2009. While in the army, Yolchyan fell ill with chickenpox, which subsequently elicited an inflammatory response in his body that triggered a sudden visual loss. Over time, the young man went completely blind in one eye, and he has only 2 percent of his vision in the other eye. Yolchyan has been advised by local doctors to immediately seek medical treatment abroad if he wants to save his eyesight.
Razmik’s health problems began when he was three months into military service; a few months after coming down with chickenpox, his left eye unexpectedly became inflamed. The then-soldier was initially sent for treatment to a military hospital but was subsequently transferred to a civilian hospital in Yerevan. None of his doctors, however, were able to determine the causes of his problems.
“I was told different things: could be caused by joints or brain issues, or even complications from the chickenpox. Anyway, I was soon sent back to service, despite having low vision. I took infirmary medication and hoped it would help. I did not imagine that I would go completely blind,” Yolchyan said in an interview for Epress.am.
About two weeks after returning to the military unit, the young man’s health seriously deteriorated and he was once again taken to a Yerevan hospital. Two months later, Yolchyan was discharged from the army on medical grounds.
Over the past 7 years, he has undergone a series of eye surgeries, which, however, have not produced any desirable effects. “It’s not just the eyes; I have also begun suffering from kidney and liver issues,” he said.
Local doctors have told Yolchyan that he will never be completely cured; at the same time, they have advised the young man to seek medical treatment abroad if he wants to preserve his partial vision. “So I’ve sent my medical records to a hospital in France, but they’ve replied that they had to personally examine me before they could give me their final diagnosis.”
Yolchyan, who spends nearly 70 000 drams a month (about $140) on medication alone – currently lives with his parents, neither of whom is employed. The family lives on Razmik’s disability benefits – 54 500 drams per month – and his father’s pension.
In order to be able to cover the cost of the treatment abroad, the young man has appealed to the Gegharkunik regional administration, but the officials have replied that they could not help him because they had “nothing to do with the illness.” Armenia’s defense ministry has also twice refused Yolchyan’s appeals for help. In 2014, military authorities told the young man they could not pay for his treatment abroad but were prepared to buy his plane tickets. “But that’s just pointless… The treatment itself is too expensive,” Yolchyan noted.