Why is the Ambulance Late? Citizens Report Concerns. Clarification from Tagiyeh Stepanyan. "Jhamanak"

The newspaper "Jhamanak" has been receiving reports from citizens stating that ambulance staff often arrive late or, in some cases, refuse to respond to calls, regardless of whether the call is related to the coronavirus or not. While we often hear that the number of ambulance service vehicles has increased, the reality is that the emergency assistance is not being provided promptly.

It is understandable that the ambulance system faced many challenges this year due to the coronavirus situation, and later due to the 44-day war unleashed in Artsakh. However, there is no longer a need for troop transport, as only the coronavirus remains, and there is a trend of decreasing numbers. Nevertheless, issues within the ambulance sector persist and remain unresolved. Why?

In an interview with the newspaper, Tagiyeh Stepanyan, director of the ambulance service, emphasized that the situation is now calmer, and such delays may be related to spending longer at the designated location than anticipated. “It is calm, but not that calm. However, the numbers for the coronavirus are still high, and transfers are frequent. The vehicles are sufficient on their own. The main issues arise from the functions we perform, for example, transporting patients to the regions, or sometimes we end up staying with a COVID patient at home longer than planned. These types of issues arise,” she noted.

Stepanyan added that aside from the coronavirus situation, calls have not significantly increased. She also provided general data: “On December 17, for instance, we had 969 calls, which is not a small number. The day before that, we had 990 calls.”

It should be reminded that according to the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, the state is obligated to ensure the right to health. Article 85 of the Constitution states: “Everyone has the right to health protection in accordance with the law,” the newspaper reports.

Read the full article in today’s edition of the newspaper.