Tuesday, January 14 2020 18:57

ArmInfo. The issue of closing obstetric care services in Yeghvard (Kotayk region) and Maralik (Shirak region) may be reviewed. This was stated by RA Minister of  Healthcare Arsen Torosyan at a January 14 press conference. To  recall, the prospect of their closure previously provoked protests  with the participation of the local population.

The Minister noted that since mid-2018, by his order, a process has  been initiated to study the state of medical institutions providing  obstetric care services. The focus was on such aspects as the  availability of specialists of the appropriate profile, technical  equipment, the number of births accepted annually, and so on.  According to him, this step was made based on the policy of reducing  child and maternal mortality in the country, since the quality of the  medical services provided is directly related to this issue.

Torosyan informed that earlier the process of providing categories to  maternity hospitals was not transparent, and was often decided by  higher ranked officials. With this in mind, in the middle of 2018, it  was decided to study the state of institutions providing obstetric  care services based on objective indicators.  In addition, the  minimum bar was established for childbirth accepted at the medical  institution annually (150), and the distance to the nearest medical  centers providing more extensive medical services was calculated. An  exception was made for medical facilities located in remote  communities (Berd, Chambarak and Meghri), and therefore their closure  may adversely affect the availability of medical services.

As a result, obstetric services operating at medical facilities of  the communities of Maralik, Achajur, Arteni, Artsvaberd, Tsakhkaovit,  Kajaran and Yeghvard do not meet established standards.  According to  Torosyan, the indicators of the Nairi medical center in Yeghvard were  the closest to the standards of the Ministry of Healthcare, where 136  births were accepted last year with a minimum of 150.  In addition,  there were no complaints from the point of view of technical  equipment and staffing. With this in mind, the Minister informed that  the issue of closing the obstetric care service of this MC can be  reviewed. As for Maralik, more serious discrepancies were revealed  here. In addition to the low rate of births received (102 for 2018),  there are no such narrow specialists as a neonatologist and  anesthesiologist, and there is no intensive care service for  newborns. Torosyan noted that if these omissions are completely  resolved, then the future of this obstetric care service will be  discussed with the participation of specialists.

Given the fact that obstetric services that do not meet the  requirements of the Ministry of Health operate at medical facilities,  the issue of employment of their employees, as stated by Torosyan,  will be resolved.

The Minister informed that the process of studying the technical  equipment and staffing of medical facilities will be continued, and  has already affected pediatric services. This process is directly  related to the policy to reduce child and maternal mortality, which  is already yielding results. Thus, according to preliminary data, a  decrease in maternal mortality in Armenia is projected at the level  of one ppm. With regard to fertility indicators, despite a certain  decline in 2019 compared to 2018, a slowdown in the rate of decline  was revealed compared to previous years, which gives chances for an  improvement in the demographic situation in the future.

Torosyan reminded that an additional 700 million drams were sent to  obstetric care services this year. In addition, projects have been  developed for the overhaul or construction of medical centers in  Charentsavan, Tashir, Ashtarak, Tsakhkaovit, Talina, Artik, Sisian,  Vagharshapat, Masis and Yeghvard.