Health minister promises to cut expenses of patients with cancer
11.03.2019,
17:40
Armenian Health Minister Arsen Torosyan told an extraordinary meeting of the parliamentary committee on human rights and public affairs that surgical treatment for malignant neoplasm will be financed exclusively by the government.
YEREVAN, March 11. /ARKA/. Armenian Health Minister Arsen Torosyan told an extraordinary meeting of the parliamentary committee on human rights and public affairs that surgical treatment for malignant neoplasm will be financed exclusively by the government.
Earlier, the government paid about 20% of the cost of the surgery, while the remaining 80% was paid by the patient.
The minister said today that additional 700 million drams have been allocated from the state budget for the surgical treatment for cancer patients in addition to earlier released 1.1 billion drams. Of this amount about 200 million drams will be spent on radiation therapy, and 500 million drams on surgical interventions.
According to the minister, despite the reduction in the costs of cancer patients, they still face substantial expenses for chemotherapy, radiation therapy and drug treatment. He added that in the future, when the government funding is increased, the government is likely to co-finance the radiation and chemotherapies.
According to the minister, 200 million drams directed for radiation therapy will be enough only to treat 200-300 patients a year, while there are much more people in need of this therapy - about 5-6 thousand.
On pediatric oncology, the minister said that additional 50 million drams were allocated for inpatient treatment in order to free parents from the need to co-finance treatment.
"Each treatment course costs 150 thousand drams, but we raised this bar to 250 thousand drams, so that parents do not have to pay for catheters, ward and medicines," said Torosyan.
He said about 100 cases of so-called solid tumors (one of eight varieties of epithelial malignant tumors) are registered in Armenia every year - in the brain, lungs and other organs. Approximately 70 such patients are treated in Armenia, and the remaining 30 abroad.
According to the Ministry of Health, about 5,600 people die from malignant neoplasm annually. In the overall mortality rate malignant neoplasm is the second (20.4%) cause of death after circulatory system diseases. ($1 - 489.09 drams)
Earlier, the government paid about 20% of the cost of the surgery, while the remaining 80% was paid by the patient.
The minister said today that additional 700 million drams have been allocated from the state budget for the surgical treatment for cancer patients in addition to earlier released 1.1 billion drams. Of this amount about 200 million drams will be spent on radiation therapy, and 500 million drams on surgical interventions.
According to the minister, despite the reduction in the costs of cancer patients, they still face substantial expenses for chemotherapy, radiation therapy and drug treatment. He added that in the future, when the government funding is increased, the government is likely to co-finance the radiation and chemotherapies.
According to the minister, 200 million drams directed for radiation therapy will be enough only to treat 200-300 patients a year, while there are much more people in need of this therapy - about 5-6 thousand.
On pediatric oncology, the minister said that additional 50 million drams were allocated for inpatient treatment in order to free parents from the need to co-finance treatment.
"Each treatment course costs 150 thousand drams, but we raised this bar to 250 thousand drams, so that parents do not have to pay for catheters, ward and medicines," said Torosyan.
He said about 100 cases of so-called solid tumors (one of eight varieties of epithelial malignant tumors) are registered in Armenia every year - in the brain, lungs and other organs. Approximately 70 such patients are treated in Armenia, and the remaining 30 abroad.
According to the Ministry of Health, about 5,600 people die from malignant neoplasm annually. In the overall mortality rate malignant neoplasm is the second (20.4%) cause of death after circulatory system diseases. ($1 - 489.09 drams)
