WCTF Armenia

WCTF opened its center in Yerevan, Armenia in 2002. The first challenge in Armenia was to assist in the preparation of legislation that would enable organ transplantation to take place as well as to ban the sale of organs.

The legislation passed in limited form (allowing living-related transplantation procedures among family members, as well as certain other types of transplantation).

Since that time, the Armenia chapter has been active in fundraising and in introducing the concept of organ transplantation to the country by funding cornea transplants among several children whose sight had been lost in accidents.

The public awareness campaigns surrounding these procedures have increased the visibility of transplantation in Armenia while reducing the fear and uncertainty surrounding this type of surgery.

The next steps in Armenia are to assist in passing legislation which allows living organ transplantation from unrelated donors (for kidney transplants among unrelated persons) and to begin training physicians from various hospitals in Yerevan in life-saving organ transplantation techniques.

The WCTF in Armenia will also undertake fundraising campaigns to procure necessary intensive care unit technology necessary for after-care of pediatric transplant patients.