Global Insight
October 17, 2007
More Doctors and Hospitals for Armenia as Second Phase of Healthcare
Reform Plan Launched
by Mitra Thompson
The second phase of Armenia’s public healthcare reform programme is
set to begin next year, with US$10 million to be invested in 2008 as
part of a wider US$29.6-million project that will last until 2012.
The World Bank is contributing the bulk of the funds via credit,
which, according to the ARKA news agency, will see the construction
of eight new hospitals equipped with high-tech services, the training
of some 600 general practitioners and 720 nurses, in an effort to
make GP access possible to all Armenians in five years’ time,
increasing and improving ambulance coverage, and modernising the
equipment found in all healthcare facilities.
Significance:This stage of Armenia’s healthcare reform will
reportedly focus on improving services in rural and regional areas,
after the first phase of the reform concentrated mainly on the
capital, Yerevan. Armenia is constantly struggling to provide better
and more equal access to its public healthcare services, but remains
reliant on organisations such as the World Bank for funding. The
Health Ministry was able to score something of a coup last year,
however, after securing the provision of free stomatological services
for the first time