1 / 8

On the agenda of June 7 sitting of the NA Standing Committee on Health Care was the draft law on Making Amendments and Addenda to the Law on Medical Care and Services of the Population authored by the deputies Narek Zeynalyan and Lusine Badalyan. The Committee debated it in the first reading.

The draft has established principles, in case of compliance, the associations will have active cooperation with the Ministry of Health and will use all the powers provided by the draft.

The Committee Chair Narek Zeynalyan noted that the draft has been under debate and development for a year or more, proposals were sent by medical associations, and there was a common consent on them. Proposals were also sent by the Government, which were adopted. The draft was debated with almost 22 associations. The objective is to put the relations between medical associations and the Ministry on an institutional basis, as well as to use the potential of associations for the benefit of the establishment of the healthcare system. According to the key rapporteur, it is designed that the cooperation will take place on the basis of the agreement.

The co-author of the draft Lusine Badalyan informed that certain standards, which the associations must comply with, do not in any way aim to limit the functions of the associations. “The mentioned standards directly give an opportunity to debate their sectoral issues with the Ministry, to take part in the process of policy development and to express a professional opinion,” the deputy mentioned.

The RA Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan mentioned that the expansion of professional associations in Armenia is already a fact, because the continuous professional development reforms also contribute to the achievement of a much more important function. “And the amendments defined by the draft will not only not harm, but will also help in the enlargement of the associations,” the Minister added.

According to Anahit Avanesyan, the proposals made by the Government have been adopted, some of which she proposed to observe during the period from the first to the second reading.

The Committee endorsed the draft law.