Health minister comments on reports about depletion of state-funded treatments in Armenia hospitals

YEREVAN. – Medical organizations should do everything to try to stay within those framework amounts because we all know that the [state] budget is limited. Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan on Wednesday told this to reporters, commenting on the reports about the depletion of state-funded treatments in Armenia’s hospitals

"The correspondence that is carried out is presented as an internal instruction. It is not an absolute internal instruction, but a clear procedural one. Yes, we are having correspondence from time to time with all medical organizations. And this case is part of it, there is nothing extraordinary here.

You know that at the beginning of the year, all medical organizations sign framework contracts of state-funded [treatment], and it is clearly worded how much state-funded [treatment] the given medical organization must carry out. And, of course, medical organizations should do everything to try to stay within those framework amounts because we all know that the [state] budget is limited, and we must clearly have a forecast and discipline to implement the budget funds.

In the middle of the year, yes, a letter was sent that the medical centers stay within their contractual amounts and serve depending on the application flow according to the principle of queuing, which is applicable, preferable, and we should have right planning mechanisms for planned examinations and surgical measures so that during the year, those who need urgent medical care will be served on that principle of urgency, whereas those citizens who can wait for some time for scheduled medical care will have to go through the principle of queuing," the minister said.

According to her, recently there has been an increase in the number of people applying to medical centers and an increase in the number of diseases in Armenia—and due to both the coronavirus and the post-Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh)-war situation.

"We take all measures so that the directions, services, programs which really have a justified increase in the number of applications, the state will fulfill its obligation to the citizens, as it has done during these years, and will continue to fulfill it," Avanesyan said.

Also, the health minister recalled that in the last two years, the Armenian government has ensured a 30% increase in the state budget funds for the healthcare sector.

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