Karabakh starts evacuating hemodialysis patients to Armenia

PanARMENIAN.Net - Nagorno-Karabakh’s health authorities have asked the International Committee of the Red Cross to help evacuate hemodialysis patients to Armenia “to avoid death due to growing shortages of necessary medical supplies.”

According to the Health Ministry of Karabakh, 29 such patients have already been transported to Armenia during the past two days, while 12 have refused to be evacuated and risk dying when suppression of their kidney function becomes life-threatening.

Kristine Avagimian, head of the hemodialysis department at Stepanakert’s hospital, said that each of the patients with kidney deficiency who preferred staying in Nagorno-Karabakh had their own reason for that.

“One of the patients has minor children to take care of, some are wheelchair-bound and have mobility problems. In other words, each has family and personal problems that led to such a decision, while they are well aware what it would lead to,” the doctor said.

Authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh estimate that they will run out of medical supplies needed for hemodialysis in about two weeks.

Since December 12, 2022, the sole road connecting Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia - the Lachin Corridor - has been blocked by Azerbaijan. Baku tightened the blockade on June 15, 2023, banning emergency relief supplies that were carried out by Russian peacekeepers and the International Committee of the Red Cross through the sole road connecting Karabakh to Armenia and the outside world. The move aggravated the shortages of food, medicine and other essential items experienced by the region’s population. Karabakh Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan reported the first death from hunger on August 15.