Head of the Control Service under the RA President Hovhannes Hovsepyan said healthcare problems, specifically import and sale of medicines, are in the focus.

“Investigation showed that the company, which won the competition for supply of medicines to the RA Ministry of Healthcare under a state program, sells the same medicines by 30-40% cheaper in drugstores,” Hovsepyan told a press conference on December 24.

“A meeting on the inspections results will be held at the President’s office. Mr. Sargsyan has been already informed of the existing problems,” he said.

Hovsepyan also said that medicines, which are delivered to Armenia as humanitarian aid, often do not meet the relevant quality requirements: sometimes, they are expired, or producer is not mentioned on them.

According to him, the Control Service also revealed violations in license issuance to drugstores. “In 2008-2009, we conducted inspections in 96 drugstores, as a result of which 176 violations of terms for license issuance were revealed.”

“One of the main problems is that the medicines meant for hospitals and polyclinics are often illegally sold,” Hovsepyan concluded.