Ashot Melkonyan, the Health Care Expert at the “Center for Regional Development and Research” NGO, finds that it is necessary to introduce systemic changes in order to eliminate the problems in the health system. 

On 28 September, 2016, the Armenian Lawyers’ Association, in cooperation with the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia and the Freedom of Information Center of Armenia, organised an anti-corruption event entitled “Corruption Risks in the Health Sector”. The event was held in the town of Gavar. 

Artak Saribekyan, the Grants Coordinator of the “Multi-Faceted Anti-Corruption Promotion” project, gave opening remarks at the event. He attached importance to the participants’ actions that are aimed at holding active discussions and revealing problems. He also informed them that the Armenian Lawyers’ Association and the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia had submitted to the Government three important legislative bills which are currently being discussed.

Further, local and international experts presented reports on their research in the health sector, highlighting the existing corruption risks and the steps taken towards reducing and eliminating these risks.  

Marat Atovmyan, the Local Expert of the “Multi-Faceted Anti-Corruption Promotion” project, stressed that the ability of the state to react to people’s needs and promptly improve itself, as well as the involvement of the civil society in the reform process, are crucial factors in the advancement of the health system. 

Ashot Melkonyan, the Healthcare Expert at the “Center for Regional Development and Research” NGO, presented to the participants of the event the results of his monitoring which addressed the corruption risks in the field of medication procurement. He believes that serious qualitative expertise should be carried out in the field of medication. He also spoke about the possibilities of introducing medical and economic standards, as well as treatment schemes, considering such standards to be necessary and important. 

The reports were followed by a lively discussion in the course of which the participants raised problems and outlined possible solutions.

The event was organized in the scope of the “Multi-Faceted Anti-Corruption Promotion” project funded by the EU and co-funded by the OSCE Office in Yerevan. 

Iravaban.net