Meeting with L. Nanushyan (Deputy Minister of Health of RA)

On July 26, 2018, A. Harutyunyan  (President of Positive People Armenian Network NGO) and A. Galstyan (PR manager of Positive People Armenian Network NGO) had a meeting with L. Nanushyan (Deputy Minister of Healthcare of RA). The purpose of this meeting was to initiate a dialogue with targeted government authorities and to facilitate future implementation of  “Changes are possible. Act now “project avocation activities.

Agenda key topics were:

• Advocating the RA’s State bodies’/Government’s broadest possible participation in UN high-level meeting in September 2018
• Appointment steps of Armenian focal point in Global TB Caucus,
• Follow up strategy in order to broadcast 2 PSAs on TB early detection and stigma/discrimination issues via Armenian Public Television network,
• Invitation to participate in a meeting with representatives of regional health care organizations and journalists on TB issues which is planned to conduct in October 2018,
• Initiative discussion of involving TB patients as a peer counselor in TB patients’ rehabilitation works.

Firstly, by Deputy Minister’s request the meeting initiators overall presented Project’s outputs, planned activities, ongoing procedures and already marked success stories.

Within 3rd year project it was scheduled to conduct capacity building trainings for TB patients and implement the pilot model of peer counselor service among TB patients. The Deputy Minister’s direction on this issue was as follows: as adopted in international structures the functions of selection, training of peer counselors, should be carried out by representatives of non-governmental/civil society organizations, and in  future maybe it will be possible to run piloted service through social contracting mechanisms via state budget distributions.

Within the meeting it was clarified that new appointed RA representative in Global TB Caucus is Lena Nanushyan (Deputy Minister of MOH of RA).

The NGO’s Advocacy initiative concerning reaction and participation of Armenian delegation in UN’s high-level meeting on TB issues which will be in New York was welcomed and got positive response from the Deputy Minister.

In order to broadcast 2PSAs within the Public TV network Deputy Minister suggested to send request to NTC as a head body of TB issues and with their initiatives they will discuss the possibilities of arranging free broadcast.

At the end of the meeting NGO’s representatives invited L. Nanushyan to take part in TB network meeting with Regional healthcare organizers and journalists where will be discussed TB Issues and social contracting proposals and financing opportunities of RA.