YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. Artsakh plans to increase its healthcare budget as all healthcare services are now free of charge from January 1, 2022.

The Minister of State Artak Beglaryan said that there won’t be any paid medical service in the country in 2022, with the exception of the kind of services which aren’t essential and are done solely at the desire of the patient. “We plan to implement a number of reforms to increase the efficiency of the sector’s management, and I think we will have good news in the end of the year,” Beglaryan said.

He said the education budget is also higher this year, and the government plans salary increases for education staffers on an average of 20 percent.

The higher education will continue to be free in the country. The Minister of State said they plan to implement serious strategic reforms in education.

In September, the Anania Shirakatsy International Academy will be opened in Artsakh, and it will be a branch of the Yerevan Anania Shirakatsy school.

Pensions and state benefits have increased on an average of 20%.

“It is important to note that this year the social protection budget alone is 52 billion 564 million 240 thousand drams, which is significantly higher than in 2021.”