Armenia=?UTF-8?B?4oCZ?=s health minister unaware of oligarch=?UTF-8?B?4oCZ?=s medicine import activities

Armenia's Minister of Health Derenik Dumanyan is sure that no monopoly in the import of medicines exists in Armenia.Moreover, he is unaware of whether or not Samvel Alexanyan, a member of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) parliamentary group, is importing medicines to Armenia."I do not think that medicines import is monopolized because seventy companies are importing medicines to Armenia. How can it be a monopoly?" the minister told journalists on Thursday.As to how many of the companies belong to Samvel Alexanyan, Minister Dumanyan said:"I do not ask the importers' names. They apply to the ministry for permission to import a medicine. We apply to experts for an examination of the medicine after which we give permission," the minister said.The minister said his only concern is that medicines be of high quality, efficacious and safe. He assured the journalists that the medicines imported to Armenia are safe.Dumanyan admits abuse in the purchase of medicine, which caused damage to Armenia's state budget. According to him, law-enforcers are supposed to deal with the problem.Asked if his predecessor Harutyun Kushkyan should be held responsible for the abuse, Dumanyan said that the Ministry of Health is only supervising 18 medical institutions, and 90% of medical centers are supervised by other bodies.   Read more... (213 words)

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