WHO Regional Director for Europe and Minister of Health of Armenia sign two-year agreement to advance health for all, and promote vaccination and healthy lifestyles

Quality health care accessible to everyone, effective protection against health emergencies, healthy communities as contributors to an economy of well-being are core elements of the Biennial Collaborative Agreement (BCA) signed today by Anahit Avanesyan, Minister of Health of the Republic of Armenia and Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe during his two-day visit to the country.

The BCA is a vital tool setting out collaboration priorities between WHO and the Government of Armenia for 2022-2023 that aim to support the Ministry of Health in achieving national health priorities, working closely with civil society, development partners and other key stakeholders.

The BCA prioritizes access to quality care for each and every citizen in Armenia regardless of their financial means, effective protection against health emergencies and building healthy communities, with public health policies and actions serving to secure a better life and well-being for the people of Armenia.

“The cooperation between the Ministry of Health and the WHO is crucial in many ways for being able to achieve the cornerstone health indicators our government is aiming for. I am happy to state that the Government Strategy for the years 2021-2026 includes the key areas of healthcare indicators that have to be achieved, which are also portrayed in the global agenda. With the last wave of COVID-19 pandemic slowly retreating into the background, we are thankfully able to again direct our efforts and resources to global health threats that still persist. Within the framework of the Biennial Collaborative Agreement for the years 2022-2023, we are aiming to devote large attention to areas that are of utmost importance to us such as Universal Health Coverage, health system strengthening, protection against health emergencies, promotion of healthy lifestyle and many more,” said Anahit Avanesyan, RA Minister of Health.

The BCA builds on the key achievements recorded within the long-lasting partnership between WHO and the Government of Armenia in tobacco control, emergency preparedness, response to the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health - to name a few.

It is in line with the international public health strategic goals and frameworks such as the WHO European Programme of Work and the health-related Sustainable Development Goals.

“This agreement signed today puts health higher on Armenia’s agenda, underlining its place as a universal human right and key development priority for a better economy, and for peace and security,” said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.

“WHO has enjoyed a long and productive partnership with the Government of Armenia, and we will continue to work side-by-side to advance the national health agenda: strengthening the health system, moving towards universal health coverage, protecting people from health emergencies, and promoting health and wellbeing,” he added.

Visiting the country during European Immunization Week (EIW), the Regional Director also highlighted the live-saving importance of vaccines and vaccination as a building block for a functioning public health systems.

Dr Kluge underlined the importance of immunization as a public health measure and the many millions of lives it has saved and called for continued joint efforts to increase COVID-19 vaccination to protect people, health systems, and health workers.