WHO regional director visits Armenia and reach agreements in the wake of the Coronavirus epidemic

Henri Kluge signed a BCA and delivered a special WHO award to Armenian health professionals during his recent country visit to Armenia, when he was the Regional Director for WHO for Europe.

To help shape future collaboration betweenArmenia and WHO/Europe in the course of the next two years, Armenian Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan signed a BCA with Dr. Kluge. The BCA emphasises universal access to high-quality healthcare, effective protection against health-related emergencies, as well as healthy communities as a source of economic well-being.

In addition to contributing to a strong economy, stability, and harmony, good health is a fundamental human right." The Armenian government and the World Health Organization (WHO) have signed a biannual agreement for the year of 2022–2023, putting health somewhere at top of the country's priority, said Dr Kluge.

To name just a few, Armenia is at the forefront of numerous national and regional health initiatives that focus on issues such as tobacco control, issues regarding mental health, disaster preparedness, and building community resilience. There has been an increase in Armenia's commitment to public health this year with the construction of an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) along with the Armenian Emergency Medical Team (EMT), as well as a future worldwide Emergency Medical Teams Meeting sponsored by your government," he said.

Aside from Dr. Simonyan, Dr. Vahagn Khachaturyan and Mr. Nikol Pashinyan, Mr. Vahagn Khachaturyan and Mr. Alen Simonyan met with Dr. Kluge to discuss the country's health agenda and reform commitment.

The BCA is a continuation of the WHO-Armenia cooperation, which has been in place for more than three decades. The WHO European Program as well as the Sustainable Development Goals for Health are examples of strategic international public health goals and frameworks that are in accordance with this.

Medal of Honor from the World Health Organization

 Doctor Kluge Visited the Surb Grigor Lusavorich Medical Center immunisation clinic with members of international partners in health, including the EU Ambassador to Armenia, UNICEF officials, and the United Nations Resident Coordinator during his visit. According to Dr Kluge's conversation with EU Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin, WHO's COVID-19 reaction operations have been a success and will continue and extend beyond COVID-19.

Some of Armenia's newest residents, who had come for their regular vaccinations to guard against illnesses like polio, measles, and rubella, were interviewed by Dr. Kluge. With the help of elder residents, he was able to provide COVID-19 vaccination boosters.

 Avanesyan and all health professionals in Armenia were presented with the International Year of Health and Care Workers Award 2021 by Dr Kluge. He recognised their continuous devotion and commitment to improving well-being and health of Armenian people and across the WHO European Region.

"The award is a sign of thanks and admiration for the unshakable devotion of healthcare practitioners, notably in the reaction to the COVID-19 epidemic," Dr Kluge said. For shared benefits in jobs, health, economic growth, and fairness, he urged greater investment in health workers.