Maternal & Child Health gets media spotlight in Armenia
An injection of 24.6 million dollars into Armenia’s healthcare system this year was just one of the highlights of a recent seminar attended by journalists and healthcare officials on Armenia’s healthcare developments with a particular focus on maternal and child health.“Healthcare is in the midst of carrying out major reforms. Mass media has an instrumental role in highlighting the policies developed by the Ministry of Health, as well as in identifying problems and following up their solutions. So this seminar organised by World Vision is of vital importance for creating links between media and the Ministry of Health”, said Ara Ter-Grigoryan, the head of State Health Agency.
Mass media has an instrumental role in highlighting the policies developed by the Ministry of Health, as well as in identifying problems and following up their solutionsThe two-day seminar organised through World Vision’s ‘Child Health Now’ campaign in Tshagkkadzor, Kotayk province of Armenia, also addressed a new scheme of patient co-payment soon to be introduced in the system which could have a positive impact on referral to health services and eliminate informal payments to doctors.
These out-of-pocket payments have created barriers to access health services when people need them and explain why the poorest cannot yet receive the care they need, despite the improved access to healthcare in general.
Just over 34% of the Armenian population had an annual income of US$48.1 in 2009, based on a poverty analysis by the National Statistical Service. Hence, low purchasing power and the increase in informal payments result in decreased timely referrals to doctors.
Key steps towards improving maternal and child health were also highlights of the seminar.
I personally can witness multiple cases when child deaths happened because of medical mistakes“Maternal and child health is in the scope of my professional concerns and I was pleased to receive detailed information about the recently launched Child Health Certificate and other initiatives in the area”, said Grisha Balasanyan, HETQ weekly newspaper reporter.
“I personally can witness multiple cases when child deaths happened because of medical mistakes. Preventable deaths should be avoided and any incompetent doctor should get penalty for mistreatment and human deaths”, he added.
Ministry officials agreed to discuss the involvement of registered journalists in monitoring activities in the health sector.
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Mass media has an instrumental role in highlighting the policies developed by the Ministry of Health, as well as in identifying problems and following up their solutionsThe two-day seminar organised through World Vision’s ‘Child Health Now’ campaign in Tshagkkadzor, Kotayk province of Armenia, also addressed a new scheme of patient co-payment soon to be introduced in the system which could have a positive impact on referral to health services and eliminate informal payments to doctors.
These out-of-pocket payments have created barriers to access health services when people need them and explain why the poorest cannot yet receive the care they need, despite the improved access to healthcare in general.
Just over 34% of the Armenian population had an annual income of US$48.1 in 2009, based on a poverty analysis by the National Statistical Service. Hence, low purchasing power and the increase in informal payments result in decreased timely referrals to doctors.
Key steps towards improving maternal and child health were also highlights of the seminar.
I personally can witness multiple cases when child deaths happened because of medical mistakes“Maternal and child health is in the scope of my professional concerns and I was pleased to receive detailed information about the recently launched Child Health Certificate and other initiatives in the area”, said Grisha Balasanyan, HETQ weekly newspaper reporter.
“I personally can witness multiple cases when child deaths happened because of medical mistakes. Preventable deaths should be avoided and any incompetent doctor should get penalty for mistreatment and human deaths”, he added.
Ministry officials agreed to discuss the involvement of registered journalists in monitoring activities in the health sector.
-Ends-
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