YEREVAN, DECEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Minister of Healthcare Arsen Torosyan held a meeting with India’s Minister of Healthcare Harsh Vardhan during a visit to New Delhi.

During the meeting the sides discussed a number of items regarding the Armenian-Indian relations in healthcare, medical education and pharmaceutical industry, the Armenian healthcare ministry said in a news release.

Torosyan attached importance to intergovernmental cooperation in the medical education area taking into account the number of Indian students in Armenia, and welcomed the Indian government’s steps. Torosyan told Vardhan that a new opportunity for clinical residency programs is created in Armenia with the National Healthcare Institute offering English-language postgraduate trainings for various professions. The Indian healthcare minister welcomed the opportunity citing constant big demand for medical personnel.

A doctors’ exchange program was also discussed. Recently doctors from Armenia had traveled to India for an introductory visit to get to know the healthcare system. Torosyan and Vardhan discussed issues related to dispatching Armenian doctors to India as part of an exchange program where the medics will have the chance to participate in difficult surgeries such as transplant and endoprosthesis.

At the same time, Minister Vardhan offered to view India from the perspective of medical tourism and organize the treatment of Armenian patients in India’s high quality clinics.

They also discussed cooperation in pharmaceuticals.

Torosyan said that Armenia can be a good opportunity in the EAEU as a point of entry because the registration of certain drugs is carried out without obstacles in Armenia and is in conformity to EAEU standards.

The launch of the national hepatitis C treatment program, which will be carried out using Indian medication, was also discussed.

Arsen Torosyan praised India’s efforts in developing healthcare, testified by PM Narendra Modi’s speech at the UNGA on universal healthcare coverage and Minister Vardhan’s role in prevention and immunization of infectious diseases.

Torosyan invited Vardhan to visit Armenia and the minister said he will consider the offer.

They also reached an agreement to sign a Memorandum of Cooperation soon.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan