President on Bringing Vaccine to Armenia

“The coronavirus has not yet been beaten, and I believe it will be present here for a long time,” stated President Armen Sarkissian during an interview on the ‘Question of the Country’ program with Yerevan-based ‘Erkir Media’ television, calling on citizens to fulfill all obligations, to be disciplined, and to think of their responsibilities regarding their relatives, parents, and those who are sick or have poor health.

Regarding the actions already taken, the President mentioned that it is always possible to evaluate what the world, our government, and each of us has done and how we did it. “But I think it is very important for each of us to think about how we can be useful today,” President Sarkissian said. In this sense, the President’s office is attempting to make its small contribution to this effort.

“First and foremost, since day one, I have been in regular contact, almost daily, with various high-ranking officials, presidents, health ministers, or scientific centers dealing with these issues, for several purposes. First of all, to understand the nature of this virus and how different countries are combating it, to learn where mistakes have been made. I relayed all this information to our relevant bodies, especially the health minister, providing my advice and the knowledge I gained.

At the same time, in talking with leaders from different countries, I sought their support in some way, because we, especially in the early months, had a great need for protective equipment, starting from masks and gloves.”

As an example of a quick and useful response, President Sarkissian noted that the leader of the United Arab Emirates sent a whole plane full of supplies, which included, for instance, 500,000 reusable gloves. “Or, the Armenian government had purchased a certain quantity of medicines from China, while President Xi, based on our personal communication, sent a large quantity of gifts—medical supplies,” said the President. “And now some of these gifts, starting from several tens of thousands of masks, should be distributed by my office to, for example, nursing homes or places where it is needed.”

Recently, President Sarkissian had a remote conversation with American-Armenian businessman and philanthropist Noubar Afeyan, whose company is actively working on the development of a coronavirus vaccine and has achieved certain successes. The President stated that he follows global processes regarding the prevention and treatment of coronavirus every day, including steps and information related to possible vaccine and treatment development, especially if they concern our compatriots.

“I would be happy if he succeeds, but the purpose of my conversation or interest is not purely academic,” President Sarkissian noted regarding the discussion with Noubar Afeyan. “For instance, I have also spoken with Oxford University; they have already announced that a new vaccine has been discovered, and AstraZeneca has signed a contract with them. I want to ensure that if there is new medicine, we should try to bring it to Armenia as one of the first. For example, the well-known American company Gilead Sciences has discovered a medicine that has a certain real impact. Approximately 6,000 patients have been treated, and the American FDA has granted them a license for that medication to be used. Of course, these are very expensive drugs, but another Indian company has received the right to release them at a much cheaper rate. Today, this Indian company is negotiating with our health ministry, and we will have the opportunity to acquire a very valuable medicine at a lower price.”

The President stated that if there is an interesting idea or new medicine being used in any country worldwide, it is essential to try to bring it to Armenia quickly, because if that medicine is indeed successful, the demand will be very high.