Health minister: Simulation educational center will be created, assisted reproductive technology capacity will increase in Armenia

The assisted reproductive technology capacity will increase in Armenia. Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan submitted the respective draft decision at the government Cabinet session Friday.

The minister reminded that currently there are six such centers operating in Armenia, which are working at their maximum capacity. It is now planned to expand this program, investing in the state medical center to establish new assisted reproductive technology services.

"If the number of our beneficiaries was 5,441 in 2023, and the number of children born was 159, then in the first three months of 2024, the number of beneficiaries is already 1,672, the number of children born is 109," the health minister said, and added that queues will decrease as a result of the expansion of this program.

Also, it is planned to create a simulation educational center at the Surb Grigor Lusavorich (Saint Gregory the Illuminator) Medical Center in Yerevan.

"This is the first project of this scale in Armenia, where it will be possible to create the latest research, surgical, intensive care services, equipped with real-life situations, so that both our residents and interns can develop their practical skills while studying and be able to work with medical patients immediately after graduating," said the minister of health.

According to Avanesyan, safe conditions will be created in the center for learning, making mistakes, repeating the same surgical intervention many times, being objectively evaluated thanks to software solutions, as well as not learning on the patients, but being ready to work with them.

"The total cost of the project is 550 million drams, and from 2025 we will be ready to open the doors of this center not only for students working, studying at this medical center, but it will also be of national importance," said Avanesyan.

Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Khachatryan proposed to separate the local decision matter from the draft decision and discuss it once more. His point is, why does one center do this, maybe another option should be thought of to emphasize its general significance.

"We had a short time to discuss and did not focus much on the local issue. I would suggest that, if possible, let’s separate that piece, discuss it once more, and then make a final decision," he said.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan agreed, but gave one week for the final decision.

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