Wednesday, January 22 2020 18:33

ArmInfo. RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan supported the process of closing obstetric services that do not meet standards.

On January 22, speaking from the parliamentary rostrum, the prime  minister noted that strategic decisions should be made in the  healthcare sector. Speaking about the sensational story surrounding  the closure of obstetric care center in the Maralik community,  Pashinyan drew attention to the fact that almost at the same distance  from the villages adjacent to it there is the Artik medical center,  which can provide medical care of a wider range. As it was noted, if  tragic incidents are recorded in any medical institution which does  not meet the standards (due to the lack of specialists or the  appropriate equipment), the Government is called responsible, as it  was informed about the problems.

Pashinyan emphasized that in this issue the process should not be  seen as a desire to save, because over the past two years, financing  of the healthcare sector in Armenia has increased by almost 30%. The  prime minister also noted that, in the case of the maternity center  at the Nairi IC in Yeghvard, the decision to close was revised, since  it met all the criteria, except for indicators of the annual delivery  of births (136 with a minimum of 150).

Earlier, RA Minister of Healthcare Arsen Torosyan informed that in  mid-2018, it was decided to review the list of medical institutions  providing obstetric care services. The focus of the Ministry of  Healthcare was the condition of buildings and premises of these  medical facilities, technical equipment, staffing, as well as their  level of training. An important factor was also the number of births  taken annually (the minimum indicator is 150), as well as the factor  of the distance of a particular medical institution from the  hospital, which provides a wider range of medical services. If the  distance is about 15-20 km, then a decision is made to close this  medical facility.

As a result, obstetric services operating at medical facilities of  the communities of Maralik, Achajur, Arteni, Artsvaberd,  Tsakhkahovit, Kajaran and Yeghvard do not meet established standards.  Subsequently, the decision on obstetric care in Yeghvard was revised,  since its indicators were closest to the standards of the Ministry of  Healthcare.