- JAMnews
- Yerevan
Reproductive health program expands
Armenia will allocate another 500 million drams ($1.3 million) for the implementation of the reproductive health program. Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan explained “the need to raise additional funds by the extreme demand” for the program.
“The number of children born under the program was 31.6%, which is in line with the average for developed countries. In January-July 2023, 2,876 beneficiaries took advantage of the project,” she said.
The program to overcome infertility in Armenia started in 2019. Parents of military personnel who died during the 2020 Karabakh war can also use the expensive services of the latest reproductive technologies for free without age restrictions.
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According to the Minister of Health, in the first 7 months of 2023, 57 babies were born, of which 9 are in the families of fallen servicemen, and more than 300 women have become pregnant. Anahit Avanesyan said that the program can be used
- all childless women under 36 who have been diagnosed with infertility for two years,
- women aged 36-42 living in the border areas who have difficulties with the birth of a second child.
She said that it is planned to increase the coverage of the program by creating regional centers in the regions of Armenia, in the cities of Gyumri, Vanadzor and Goris.
Births are down, divorces are up, and experts are worried about what it means for Armenia’s future.
This is how the Prime Minister reacted to the message of the Minister of Health. Nikol Pashinyan believes that the program should be available to everyone who wants to have children. In this case the amount of work will increase, but, according to the prime minister, it is important for the country that more children be born:
“We have discussed this issue before, I did not record that we have set an age limit. If an adult wants to use the program, why do we say no, you have to be 36 years old?”
The Minister of Health replied that a professional discussion should be held on this issue, as there are “medical nuances”. Pashinyan stressed that this would be a politically correct decision, unless, of course, there are objections or “irresistible medical contraindications.”
The Prime Minister of Armenia said that in January-July, 540 more babies were born in the country than in the same months of last year. And according to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, the first half of 2023 recorded the lowest death rate for the same period in the last 20 years.
“In addition, the highest level of natural population growth since 2015 was recorded, amounting to 4,467 people. That is, the ratio of deaths to births is positive,” Pashinyan said.
Previously this service was available only to soldiers, fallen soldiers’ families, and those living in border settlements; now even unmarried and divorced women may benefit.
As of July 11, 2023, about 1,500 couples have applied to participate in the infertility program.
The state budget for 2023 allocated 917.9 million drams ($2.3 million) for these services. The Ministry of Health reports that by June 30, the volume of work performed exceeded the budgeted figures by about 150 million drams ($390,000).
According to medical forecasts, by the end of the year, artificial insemination services will be provided to another 750 couples. It is reported that “the average cost of one in vitro fertilization is 1.42 million drams [almost $3,700].”