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02, 2018

Healthcare Minister reports back results of reforms and programs aimed at addressing priority issues

At a working meeting with the President of the Republic of Armenia, Minister of Healthcare Levon Altunyan reported back the results of the reforms, development programs, as well as the priorities and the status of President’s previous instructions.

Summarizing the activities implemented in 2017 and presenting the ongoing programs, Minister Altunyan underscored that the funds saved up owing to stricter financial control and transparency, in particular through increased efficiency in budget expenditures and introduction of new mechanisms, had been used to finance the healthcare programs with deficit. The Minister noted that thanks to centralized procurements and newly introduced mechanisms, additional funds will be saved and the quality and the amount of services will be enhanced in respect of both outpatient and State-ordered hospital services.

Minister Altunyan assured that the program of health insurance packages for vulnerable people is being implemented based on the results of the procurement of State-funded insurance packages for 100,000 beneficiaries. 35,800 beneficiaries were said to have been provided services under the aforementioned program since October 1, 2017. The Minister reported that in a bid to make a better use of financial resources and enhance the quality of medical services, an individual case management scheme has been introduced in the State Health Agency.

The Minister of Healthcare also presented the ongoing activities aimed at introducing clinical guidelines and procedures for implementation of patient care practices in accordance with the President’s instruction. In 2017, more than 300 documents have been translated, localized, and approved by the Minister’s orders on the basis of advanced foreign experience.

Serzh Sargsyan highlighted the strategic importance of expanding the e-Health system in Armenia. In this regard, the Minister of Healthcare advised that the training of specialists in the system will start soon, after which the State-run medical organizations will be provided with the necessary quantity of computers.

The Minister underscored that under development since the beginning of 2018, the concepts of national strategies for the treatment of non-communicable and cardiovascular diseases, malignant neoplasms, and the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease seek to improve the morbidity and mortality rates and extend life expectancy. Representative expert panels have been established to this end. A separate program is supposed to coordinate work on eliminating TB in the country.

The President noted that primary health care practitioners have a key role to play in the proposed programs, and the Ministry should take appropriate steps in order to increase their effectiveness.

Minister Altunyan reported that the national healthcare development concept will be finalized and submitted for discussion next month, while the draft Law On Healthcare will have been completed by this yearend and put up for public debate. Reference was also made to the modernization of regional hospitals, standardization of infrastructures and other programs.

The President instructed to speed up work on the development of the medical associations’ functional reform strategy. In conclusion, President Serzh Sargsyan gave the Minister a number of instructions.
 

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