YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–The World Health Organization is currently implementing a program in Armenia to introduce a new drug policy in the public health sector with the purpose of lowering the cost of drugs.
The chief of the department on rational use of drugs of the National Drugs Agency of Armenia Samvel Azatian said that the main components of the program are as follows: drug insurance; accessibility of drugs at hospitals and education program.
The whole program is being implemented with the financial assistance of the British Know-how Foundation.
Drug stores of the Kotayk region are participating in the experiment on drug insurance. They provide customers who have insurance policies with drugs at a discount–or free of charge (according to the form of their insurance policies).
Accessibility of drugs at hospitals is planned to be ensured by jointly purchasing drugs–due to which it is possible to ensure their wider assortment at lower prices. The Malatia Medical Center–the Hayastan Scientific-Medical Center and the Republican Children’s Clinical Hospital have already expressed their willingness to participate in the program.
The third component provides for the introduction of elemen’s of rational use of drugs in the education program.
Participating in this program are the Yerevan Medical University and the National Health Institute. Azatian said that within the framework of the general program seminars on rational use of drugs and qualitative pharmaceutical practice have already been held in four regions of Armenia–including Kotayk–Ararat–Aragatsotn and Armavir.