YEREVAN, JUNE 19, ARMENPRESS. All non-essential surgeries and checkups have been put on hold in all hospitals of Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), the Nagorno Karabakh Ministry of Healthcare said in a statement. 

The move comes days after Azerbaijan blocked Red Cross medical evacuations that were being carried out amid the blockade of the Lachin Corridor. 

“The two-way movement of patients from Nagorno Karabakh and supplies of medical items and medicine by the International Committee of the Red Cross is completely blocked by Azerbaijan for already five days. Due to the halt of medicine imports, the medicine supplies in the stationary sector have dropped to 40%, and 20% in the outpatient sector. Taking into account the situation, all non-urgent checkups and interventions (surgeries) in all medical facilities are cancelled starting today. Approximately 175 patients with various diagnoses are waiting for the opportunity to be transported to hospitals in the Republic of Armenia for treatment. Patients requiring urgent transportation have cancer and cardiovascular diseases,” the Ministry of Healthcare said, adding that 8 children are hospitalized in the intensive care and neonatal department at the Arevik hospital. Another 8 patients are under intensive care in the Republican Medical Center, three of whom are critically-ill.