Minister Details Purpose of Bill Banning Salt Shakers on Tables in Public Dining Places

The Minister of Health of Armenia, Anahit Avanesyan, reaffirms that the bill aimed at banning salt shakers on tables in public dining places intends to protect the health of citizens, and that they will consistently fight for this cause. The Minister made this statement during a session of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Human Rights Protection and Public Affairs, addressing a question from deputy Aregnaz Manukyan of the 'Armenia' faction.

“Have you received a grant for conducting anti-salt propaganda, or has the ministry taken a loan? If you have, from which organization and how much?” Manukyan inquired.

The Minister responded, stating that the Ministry of Health and the government have an obligation to protect the lives and health of citizens, to prevent diseases, and to detect and treat them early. Avanesyan insisted that if the country does not invest in the health maintenance of its citizens, it is forced to attract significant, new resources for treatment and disability prevention, and sometimes the condition of the citizen becomes so severe that life cannot be saved.

“The ministry receives budgeted funds allocated to it, which also covers the entire process of public health awareness, policy development, and management. I receive a salary to manage the authorized body in this sector. Even talking about additional grants or resources is laughable. Yes, we will consistently pursue a strategy for maintaining the health of citizens. We must take care of ourselves when we are healthy, and we must refrain from harmful habits,” the minister stated.

According to Avanesyan, these issues are important and have not received the attention they deserve for years. “We will continue to fight for health preservation. We are pursuing an active health preservation policy. We are not conducting anti-propaganda against anything. We want our citizens to develop healthy habits, to preserve their health for a long time, and to improve their quality of life,” Avanesyan concluded.