ArmInfo. The Health Programs Implementation Office of the RA Ministry of Health has been appointed the body responsible for implementing the Universal Health Coverage Loan Program, financed by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The decision was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on November 6 at its regular meeting.
As stated in the explanatory note to the document, the loan agreement was signed by the Republic of Armenia and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD - the main lending institution of the World Bank Group - ed.) on July 25, 2024, and entered into force on April 30, 2025. The goal of the Universal Health Coverage Program is to support the Republic of Armenia, and in particular the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia, in implementing comprehensive health insurance, improving the quality and effectiveness of primary health care, increasing the efficiency of the country's healthcare spending, and reducing financial barriers to accessing healthcare services.
In accordance with the Agreement and the attached documents, the implementing agency for the loan program is the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia, represented by the state institution "Health Program Implementation Office." The State Institution "Health Program Implementation Office" of the Ministry of Health implements programs and activities developed with funds provided to the Republic of Armenia by foreign states and international lending organizations in the healthcare sector, as approved by the government.
It is noted that since 1999, the state institution has been implementing and continues to implement credit and grant programs provided to the Republic of Armenia by the World Bank, the Eurasian Development Bank, and other international donor organizations.
Within the framework of the credit program implementation, the functions of the State Institution EDP are clearly defined. In particular, the following: management of the day-to-day activities of the credit program, including financial, technical, and operational aspects; close cooperation with the Ministry of Health and other implementing organizations, development of an annual work plan for the implementation of the Program; preparation and submission of the Program budget to the Ministry of Finance for inclusion in the state budget; control, ensuring compliance of Program expenditures with approved budgets; coordination of the preparation of annual financial reports of the Project and their submission to the World Bank; systematization of the collection of all achievements during the implementation of the credit program; development of monitoring tools; provision of environmental and social guarantees; implementation of the procurement process of goods/works/services provided for by the credit program, in accordance with the legislation and procedures of the Republic of Armenia on procurement; Preparation and submission of project progress reports to the World Bank, etc.
The responsibilities of the Project Management Directorate (PMO) cover all areas of the loan program's implementation.
On February 2, 2023, the Armenian Cabinet of Ministers approved the Concept for the Implementation of the IUD proposed by the Ministry of Health, according to which the system was planned to be implemented within the next four years. 2023 was considered a "preparatory" year, and 2024-2026 were designated as the "testing phase", with the full implementation of the IUD in 2027. According to the plan, the implementation phase of the system should begin in July 2024. And despite the fact that in early July 2024, the World Bank announced its readiness to provide the Republic of Armenia with a $110 million (102 million euros) loan to support the "Achieving Universal Health Coverage" program, the implementation of the IUD was postponed until January 2025. On November 1, 2024, in parliament, Armenian Finance Minister Vahe Hovhannisyan made it clear that the introduction of the IUD would be postponed once again, this time indefinitely, stating that the draft budget for next year does not include a corresponding expenditure line. "We will be guided by our capabilities," the RA chief financial officer stated.
Nevertheless, the draft budget for next year already includes a budget line for the system's implementation as early as January 1, 2026. Specifically, 127 billion drams will be allocated for subsidies under the universal insurance system in 2026. The Ministry of Health's total budget will increase by 44 billion 313 million drams next year, reaching 210 billion 911 million drams. Starting next year, children under 18, individuals aged 65 and older, persons with disabilities aged 18 to 65, and members of socially vulnerable families will be included in the compulsory health insurance system. The state will fully cover the health insurance costs for these categories of citizens. Citizens with a monthly income of over 200,000 drams will pay for their own insurance. Overall, the first phase of the program is expected to reach 1.7 million beneficiaries (citizens of the Republic of Armenia who have resided in the Republic of Armenia for more than 183 days).
