150,000 People Currently Infected in Armenia: Hrant Bagratyan

In a conversation with hraparak.am, former Prime Minister Hrant Bagratyan, who has been consistently studying the pandemic, raised pertinent questions about testing rights and international practices. As it stands, only three laboratories in Armenia are authorized to conduct state-funded testing, including Samvel Aleksanyan's "Natali Pharm". Bagratyan queries why such limitations exist and compares Armenia's approach to that of other countries.

The global practice is predominantly decentralized, with tests available to all capable of conducting them. Some countries even grant testing rights to private individuals and blood testing laboratories, like in France. The Health Minister’s control over testing distribution, according to Bagratyan, leads to nepotism, where tests are carried out for the acquaintances of officials rather than serving the public.

While officials argue that this is to ensure the disease is manageable and to protect personal data from leaks, Bagratyan labels these claims as absolute lies. He insists that data transparency about who is infected with COVID-19 is crucial, emphasizing that the international community has moved forward without secrecy. He expresses growing concerns about the current Health Minister’s knowledge and competence.

Regarding public responsibility and government accountability, he disputes claims made by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his allies that the citizens are primarily to blame for the pandemic's spread. Citing experiences from other countries, he asserts that Armenian citizens are often more disciplined than their counterparts in Georgia and elsewhere.

Bagratyan criticizes the government’s decision-making process, noting the lack of feedback mechanisms in place. He points to the contradictory statements from officials, such as Pashinyan and Health Minister Torosyan, and expresses frustration over the apparent lack of understanding in public health management.

He demands that the Health Minister resign due to his handling of the crisis, claiming that Armenia now ranks among the worst-performing countries with infection rates significantly higher than neighboring states. Furthermore, he urges the Chief Prosecutor to investigate the actions of several key officials for alleged negligence impacting public health.

Bagratyan proposes implementing quarantine measures similar to those in Georgia, calling for a two-month lockdown for communities to curb the spread of the virus. He also criticizes the Central Bank for failing to promote contactless payments, suggesting that financial transactions are major conduits for virus transmission.

As of May 26, data reflects about 7,400 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Armenia, with daily increments of new infections. However, Bagratyan suspects that the actual number of infections is much higher, estimating that around 150,000 people might currently be infected, or approximately 5% of the population. He asserts that current testing practices focus primarily on symptomatic individuals, and urges broader testing to uncover the true scale of the epidemic.

He concludes with alarming predictions that in the coming week, 1% of Armenia’s population may already be infected, constituting an unprecedented crisis, especially when compared to the situations in other countries.