Why the Vardenis Community Morgue Was Closed: Answered by Anahit Avanesyan

During a question and answer session in the National Assembly, Arman Ghazaryan, a member of the Armenia Bloc, raised the issue of why the morgue in the Vardenis community had been closed.

“The reforms in the healthcare sector are discussed periodically in various formats. Alongside this, numerous issues in this sector remain unresolved. Moreover, new issues are added to the existing ones. My previous visit to the Gegharkunik region was to the consolidated community of Vardenis. During my meeting with the residents, they raised concerns about the cessation of the activities of the Vardenis pathological laboratory, commonly referred to as the morgue, which occurred under the guise of optimization. This issue is of significant importance in terms of diminishing access to healthcare services for the community’s residents. It creates substantial difficulties and extra costs for utilizing the services. This pertains to around 40,000 inhabitants of the community, many of whom live tens of kilometers away from Vardenis city. In some areas of the community, the nearest morgue is 70 km away. Now, on what basis was the community morgue closed, and is there a timeline for its reopening?” the lawmaker voiced.

In response, Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan stated that the Vardenis medical center is currently under renovation. “We made this decision to accommodate the residents. We are addressing the question of ensuring adequate conditions at the Vardenis Medical Center. Regarding your question, I can say that for Vardenis, Meghri, and other communities, when the morgue is not close, the state compensates for related transportation expenses. We have found a solution,” Avanesyan said.