Arsen Torosyan presented the priorities of Armenia's sustainable development at the 68th session of the WHO Regional Office for Europe

September 18, 2018  13:43

Continuous, comprehensive, coordinated community-oriented, people-centered, safe, timely, effective and efficient primary health care system, combined with financial protection by universal coverage, seems to be the gold pathway to reach the Sustainable Development Goals and Health, said the Minister of Health of Armenia Arsen Torosyan at the 68th session of the WHO Regional Office for Europe.

He said:

“Health and well-being are high on the Agenda, and we can show progress:

  1. Infant and under five mortality rates, are reducing, but maternal mortality is higher than EU averages. 91 percent of the target population are now covered by all vaccines included in their national vaccination program.
  2. All registered people with advanced HIV infection, have now access to antiretroviral medicines. In 2016, Armenia became one of the first four countries in the world to eliminate mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) of HIV.
  3. The number of tuberculosis cases has been steadily decreasing in the last decade and was 27 people per 100,000 population in 2016.
  4. The country developed a national strategy to reduce morbidity and mortality due to chronic hepatitis B and C; however development and implementation of effective viral hepatitis control measures remains a major issue for the healthcare system.
  5. The mortality burden due to most prevalent NCDs comprised 80%, with CVD being the lead cause (48%), followed by cancer (20.5%), diabetes (4.2%), injuries, poisonings and external causes (4.5%), chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, including bronchitis, asthma, other chronic pulmonary and bronchiectasis diseases (4%).
  6. Risk factors contribute to the rise of NCDs: For example, the level of tobacco use is high among male population in Armenia, with more than 52 percent of men and 1.2 percent of women smoking tobacco. Armenia has ratified WHO Framework convention on Tobacco control (WHO-FCTC). However, many interventions are still not enforced. MOH is working on the draft of a new Tobacco Law which will enlarge the scope of restrictions on smoking areas in Armenia.

Our priorities within the sustainable development agenda are clear: We need to focus on:

  1. Strengthening prevention of diseases through early diagnosis and treatment, with special emphasis on non-communicable diseases;
  2. A strong primary health care system needs to be in place, including increased accessibility to deprived populations, guaranteed availability of medicines and technologies, and the provision of long term patient-centered care,
  3. Develop and implement better standards in healthcare services;
  4. Ensure specialized inpatient medical care for vulnerable groups; improved maternal and child care; reproductive and adolescent health.
  5. Medical providers’ capacity building and professional development.
  6. Introduction of health insurance to enhance the financial sustainability of the overall health care system in the country.

We cannot do this alone. We require cooperation across sectors, including for:

  1. allocation of resources and ensure their efficient use at service delivery level,
  2. government taxation and revenue collection,
  3. sound planning and financial management,
  4. anticorruption measures, and
  5. universal social protection.

Let me conclude, here, that I thank very much the WHO support, and the SDG roadmap, in particular highlights the need for a strengthened primary health care: Continuous, comprehensive, coordinated community-oriented, people-centered, safe, timely, effective and efficient primary health care system- combined with financial protection by universal coverage, seems to be the gold pathway to reach the Sustainable Development Goals and Health.”

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