Tuesday, August 8 2023 11:07

ArmInfo.The number of deaths in besieged Artsakh (Nagorno- Karabakh) due to circulatory system  diseases has more than doubled since last December 12, when  Azerbaijan blocked the only road linking Artsakh with Armenia and the  rest of the world, the Health Ministry of Artsakh reported.

It said in a statement that the mortality from acute and chronic  heart failures has grown by 66%, from acute myocardial infarction -  by 20.8% and from infantile cerebral palsy - by 8.8%.

For about eight months now, 120,000 Armenians in Artsakh  (Nagorno-Karabakh) have been under complete blockade of Azerbaijan  with no food, medicine, fuel, gas or electricity.

The Lachin corridor, the only road connecting Artsakh with Armenia  and the rest of the world was initially blocked by Azerbaijani  government-sponsored fake "eco-activists" on December 12, 2022.

Azerbaijan officially institutionalized the blockage of the road by  an illegal checkpoint installation on April 23, 2023, grossly  violating its international obligations.

Azerbaijan continues to demonstrate a willful disregard for the  provisions of the Trilateral Statement of November 9, 2020, the ECHR  ruling of December 21, 2023, as well as ICJ orders issued on February  22 and July 6, 2023, calling on Azerbaijan to urgently "take all  measures at its disposal to ensure unimpeded movement of persons,  vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions."

According to the statement, in July 2023 compared to July of the last  year, the mortality rate from diseases of the circulatory system  increased by 2.6 times, including from acute heart failure - by 2.5  times, from acute myocardial infarction - by 4 times, and from infant  cerebral palsy - by 3 times.

The number of deaths from malignant neoplasms has increased by 15.9%  because of the shortage or lack of necessary medicines, changes in  the quality of life, a sharp limitation of opportunities for proper  medical care.

During the same period there was an increase in new cases of acute  cerebral circulatory failures (cerebral stroke) and acute myocardial  infarction by 26% and 9.7% respectively.

In January-July there was a 24.3% increase in first-time detected  cases of malignant neoplasms.

In the same time span , the rate of anemia among pregnant women under  medical supervision reached about 90% compared to the same period of  the previous year due to inadequate nutrition and lack or absence of  appropriate medications.

The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Artsakh warns that in case  the full siege of Artsakh by Azerbaijan continues, the  above-mentioned and other indicators will further increase, which  will lead to the death of many people and deterioration of their  health condition.

It said the health care system is doing its best to mitigate the  consequences of the serious challenges, but the total ban on the  movement of people, vehicles and goods through the Lachin corridor  makes it simply impossible to provide a comprehensive and complete  solution to the health problems.