Health care financing and health care workers' salaries to increase in Armenia, certification to become obligatory

YEREVAN, November 2. /ARKA/. Armenia's health sector funding in 2022 has already increased by 54% compared to 2018, and another increase of about 87% (from 2018) is planned for 2023, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said today.

"In fact, we will be able to reach a double increase (in funding). I am happy to say that we are also planning a tangible increase in salaries in the primary health care system. This corresponds to the logic of the transition to a more efficient management in this sector," he said at a parliamentary discussion of the draft 2023 state budget.

Pashinyan also informed that from January 1, 2023, only certified medical workers will be able to work in Armenia's healthcare sector.

"This is an important sign of the government's policy of setting standards. To have standards in all areas is a circumstance of cornerstone importance.  We will continue this policy, first of all in the sectors related to the security of the state," he said.

Earlier the Ministry of Healthcare said it was developing a healthcare reform strategy for 2022-2026 aimed at improving the quality and accessibility of medical services for citizens of various social strata, and introducing a compulsory medical insurance system.

On January 1, 2023, certification of medical workers will be introduced in Armenia. Around 30.000 medical workers, who are actively engaged in clinical activity, will be able to refresh their knowledge and receive certificates in order to have the right to practice medicine.  --0--