Arsen Torosyan Responds to Students' Questions

Minister of Health Arsen Torosyan participated in the event "You are responsible for your health," where he answered questions from school-aged children related to healthcare. This was reported by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia.

The questions raised by the adolescents revolved around the harmfulness of tobacco, advertisements, access to healthcare, illegal importation of medicines, doctors' remuneration, vaccinations, health insurance, food and beverages containing chemicals, and overall healthy living.

The minister elaborated on how the healthcare system operates, presented the principles of providing free and co-pay services, and addressed the circulation of medications, among other topics.

One of the concerns of the children was the quality and effectiveness of vaccines. Arsen Torosyan assured them that vaccinations are safe and save millions of lives. He also insisted that vaccination is a personal decision, and no one can be forced to get vaccinated, stressing that this matter should be guided by evidence-based medicine.

Regarding the harmfulness of food containing chemical substances, the minister stated that the main source of this issue is the excessive consumption of salt and sugar. He added that while it is impossible to ban these products entirely, prohibiting their sale within school premises is a feasible solution.

Also posed was the theory of nargile (water pipe) being "less harmful," which the minister confidently refuted, stating that the perspective is baseless and that using nargile might be even more harmful.

The children were also curious about the minister's personal life, including why he chose this profession and what his university years were like. The minister urged participants to maintain a healthy lifestyle, take care of their health, avoid overindulging in fatty, sweet, and salty foods, engage in physical activity, and stay away from tobacco.