Republican Party of Armenia

 A regular Cabinet meeting was held today, chaired by Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan.

As instructed by the Prime Minister, before proceeding to the agenda, Healthcare Minister Armen Muradyan delivered a report on the epidemiological situation in the country. “Overall, over 20,000 patients have called at outpatient clinics, of which 7000 due to acute respiratory infections. Hospitals nationwide have been providing round-the-clock services on these days.

Some 948 patients are hospitalized at this point with acute respiratory infections. 420 patients are suffering from pneumonia; 114 pregnant women are kept under control. 213 out of those 420 patients are children; 38 are pregnant women with pneumonia. 92 patients are kept in in intensive care departments. There are 796 children hospitalized; more than 80 percent of total hospitalization.

Hundreds of patients have been sent back home. Unfortunately, we have casualties caused by H1N1 virus: 3 cases by yearend; 8 cases during this year. All the casualties were recorded in intensive care departments as aggravated by accompanying diseases or due to late application.

At this point, 11 patients are being provided artificial respiration, and their condition is deemed to be critical. The entire process is organized in the framework of the state order, regardless of social status and privileges.”

The Minister stressed that all the citizens infected with acute respiratory diseases are being provided state-patient treatment. The healthcare institutions are equipped with necessary medicines. The Prime Minister instructed to settle the issue of allowing a week’s extension on school vacation.

Another report was made by Chairman of State Commission for Protection of Economic Competition Artak Shaboyan, who introduced the findings of the Prime Minister-directed controls and surveys in a number of economic sectors, as well as the results of a market study of essential commodity prices. The Premier suggested conducting another round of inspections with a dozen large companies to understand the reasons behind uneven markdowns.

After approving the Government’s action plan and priorities for the year 2016, the meeting suggested giving public agencies a week’s time to get acquainted with the Program’s revised version.

Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan instructed the heads of all government departments to introduce the program and the priorities to the public upon approval.

The meeting next endorsed the North-South Road Corridor Project’s Activity-3 Lanjik-Gyumri highway land acquisition and resettlement program. Activity 3 of the North-South Road Corridor investment program has started, under which the M1 interstate highway’s 46.1 km-long Talin-Lanjik (18.7 km) and 27.4 km-long Lanjik-Gyumri road sections will be rebuilt.