HRD: Hospitals charge extra sums from parents

The Staff of Armenia’s Human Rights Defender issued a statement saying that the HRD has already examined omissions in the State Child Health Certificate Program in his previous annual report. By the program, children under the age of 7 shall receive free medical care. Yet parents, while having the necessary documents for free health care, often have to pay extra money to some doctors.

“A year has passed since the problem was raised, but there has been no progress. Moreover, the Defender continues receiving complaints about such violations, especially complaints about Austrian Mother and Child Hospital of Gyumri CJSC. The Defender officially informed the Health Minister about it, but he has not received any definite answer about whether those guilty were held accountable or not.

The Human Rights Defender Karen Andreasian calls upon citizen to apply to the HRD Staff in case of encountering such a problem. He also urges the Health Ministry to implement the provisions of the order on introduction of the state child health certificate program and observe children’s right to free health care, the statement of HRD Staff says.