A Draft on Solution to Health Problems of Military Servicemen submitted to the National Assembly
15:07, May 12, 2015 | News, Own news
The RA legislation in force does not provide servicemen with health problems with any financial assistance to continue their treatment abroad once it appears impossible to treat them in the Republic of Armenia.
In some exceptional cases, it provides for treatment in CIS countries only; according to the RA Government Decree № 318-N of March 4, 2004 and the Order 30-A under Appendix 1 to the RA Health Minister’s Decree № 318-N of January 27, 2012, “the patient and their accompanying person might be reimbursed for the air ticket /departure and return/ costs without any reimbursement of the treatment costs.” In 2011-2014, the Organization received applications from 37 military servicemen with health problems and learnt some data available in the mass media on the health problems of 5 servicemen. 7 of the 47 persons might receive treatment only abroad; however, none of them could afford it at the moment. Also, 2 of them died as a result of the deterioration of their health.
The issues above were covered by Armine Sadikyan, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor Coordinator of Peacebuilding at the discussion on Issues related to Access to Health Services for the Military Servicemen Wounded in the Armed Forces. Interestingly enough, Artsrun Hovhannisyan, Press Secretary of the RA Minister of Defense, who also took part in the discussion, said that it would be difficult to ensure such treatment not only due to the legislative gap, but also since it would be impossible to predict the exactly number of people in need of such treatment and the exact types of health care needed. All this comes to point to the urgent need of relevant legislative regulation.
At the National Assembly sitting of April 18, 2015, the NA delegate Edmon Marukyan presented a draft to amend the RA Law on Social Security of Military Servicemen and their Families. The Draft imposes an obligation on the state to cover from the public funds the treatment abroad of the injuries incurred by military servicemen during their military service as well as their travel and living expenses. We welcome this legislative initiative to resolve this crucial issue and do hope that it will be supported by the National Assembly.