Armenian health minister calls for reorganization of healthcare system
24.05.2018,
16:58
Armenia’s Minister of Health Arsen Torosyan called the current outpatient health system an ‘anachronism’ of the Soviet era.
YEREVAN, May 24. /ARKA/. Armenia’s Minister of Health Arsen Torosyan called the current outpatient health system an ‘anachronism’ of the Soviet era.
"This system should be modernized and reorganized through the creation of a competitive environment, adoption of legal acts or through other means. For example, if we allow family doctors to register their offices and receive patients, they can replace the system of outpatient clinics," the minister told reporters today after a Cabinet session.
Torosyan explained that he did not mean the closure of outpatient clinics , but the formation of a competitive environment. According to him, it is also necessary to change the approach to health issues in general.
"The healthcare has never been a priority in Armenia. Our task is to change the philosophy at all levels. If a local government has to repaint a street for the tenth time or restore an outpatient clinic, it should choose the second option," Torosyan said.
Torosyan also said that medical staff working at outpatient clinics may also be provided with social packages, like teachers and other civil servants.
Social packages worth 132,000 drams are provided to all civil servants. The money can be spent on health care services, mortgage interest, tuition fees at universities and recreation in Armenian resorts.
The budget earmarks 10 billion drams for social packages (with the exception of the medical service component). There are some 100,000 beneficiaries of the system. $ 1 - 482.48 drams). -0-
"This system should be modernized and reorganized through the creation of a competitive environment, adoption of legal acts or through other means. For example, if we allow family doctors to register their offices and receive patients, they can replace the system of outpatient clinics," the minister told reporters today after a Cabinet session.
Torosyan explained that he did not mean the closure of outpatient clinics , but the formation of a competitive environment. According to him, it is also necessary to change the approach to health issues in general.
"The healthcare has never been a priority in Armenia. Our task is to change the philosophy at all levels. If a local government has to repaint a street for the tenth time or restore an outpatient clinic, it should choose the second option," Torosyan said.
Torosyan also said that medical staff working at outpatient clinics may also be provided with social packages, like teachers and other civil servants.
Social packages worth 132,000 drams are provided to all civil servants. The money can be spent on health care services, mortgage interest, tuition fees at universities and recreation in Armenian resorts.
The budget earmarks 10 billion drams for social packages (with the exception of the medical service component). There are some 100,000 beneficiaries of the system. $ 1 - 482.48 drams). -0-
