Azerbaijani Ministry of Health and National Confederation of Entrepreneurs sign Memorandum of Understanding [PHOTO]

By Sabina Mammadli

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Azerbaijani Ministry of Health and the National Confederation of Organizations of Entrepreneurs (Employers) of Azerbaijan in Baku on July 1, reports Azernews.

The document was signed by Health Minister Teymur Musayev and Deputy Chairman of the National Confederation of Entrepreneurs Vugar Zeynalov.

The MoU will cement the cooperation between the state and the private sector and contribute to its further development.

Private public partnership

A total of 15 million medical services were provided in the public and private sectors of Azerbaijan from January to May 2022, said the chairman of the board of the Azerbaijani State Agency on Compulsory Health Insurance , Zaur Aliyev.

These remarks were made during public debates on “The Business Outlook in Healthcare” on July 1.

Noting that significant reforms have been carried out in the country over the past 10 years, Aliyev clarified that the possibilities of private medicine and the legal framework regulating its activities have been expanded.

“We are working in the field of the partial transfer of compulsory health insurance to the private sector. In this sense, we held relevant meetings in Turkey and familiarized ourselves with the experience of this country,” he noted.

He also pointed out that in Azerbaijan, the state supports private clinics with the provision of appropriate equipment.

“In just five months of 2022, 45 tenders for the purchase of medical equipment were held in the country. Representatives of small and medium enterprises were the winners of these tenders,” added the responsible.

Speaking at the conference, Health Minister Teymur Musayev noted that public-private partnership in health and business is one of the promising areas for the future development of medicine.

According to Musayev, the private healthcare sector in Azerbaijan is growing and developing rapidly.

“Almost 1,400 business entities operate in the field of medicine in Azerbaijan. State support for the private sector has contributed to the growth of their number,” he noted.

Furthermore, the Minister added that the private sector also promotes the development of education in the field of medicine. He noted that today most graduates of medical universities work in private clinics, and to ensure the quality of the medical services provided, the state carries out appropriate control.

Similarly, Chairman of the Board of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency, Orkhan Mammadov, said that the Azerbaijani SMBDA has a successful track record in creating sub-sectors in the medical field.

“The agency, in collaboration with Gill Med LLC, based on a public-private partnership model, has supported the establishment of businesses in the settlement of Gobu and the area of ​​Zangilan (Aghali village) for the production of medical textiles, sterile surgical kits and coveralls,” Mammadov said.

Furthermore, he added that these companies manufacture outerwear and coveralls for medical personnel and patients, sterile surgical and dental kits, medical masks, medical gowns, headgear and several other textile products. medical.

“Since this project is focused not only on business but also on the social sphere, 90% of the employees of the companies are citizens from vulnerable groups of the population,” the official added.

Monkeypox

During the same event, the Minister of Health also informed that Azerbaijan has become one of the first countries to apply to the World Health Organization for monkeypox virus testing.

According to Musayev, these tests have already been officially transferred to the head of the WHO office in Azerbaijan.

“They will be delivered to Azerbaijan in the next two to three days,” he added.

Furthermore, he added that no cases of monkeypox have been detected in Azerbaijan.

Noting that the virus is transmitted through close contact between a healthy person and an infected person, he pointed out that it has its specific symptoms and is detected based on the results of laboratory tests.

The Minister also stated that there are no plans to carry out monkeypox vaccination in Azerbaijan.

“This follows the World Health Organization strategy and there is currently no need for a monkeypox vaccine,” he added.

No specific measures related to monkeypox are also envisaged at Azerbaijan’s border crossing points.

“Azerbaijan fully follows these decisions and recommendations,” Musayev said.

COVID-19[feminine]

In addition, the Minister of Health informed that the phase III clinical trials of Turkovac COVID-19 vaccine manufactured in Turkey have started in Azerbaijan.

He noted that the results obtained so far are positive.

“We will make a full statement after we get the results of the lab tests carried out by Türkiye,” Musayev said.

Later, he noted that Azerbaijan is successfully continuing the process of vaccination against COVID-19.

According to him, 90% of citizens in risk groups have already been vaccinated.

“These people even received a booster dose of the vaccine. I am happy that the civil liability of our fellow citizens is at a high level. According to vaccination statistics of the total population, this figure is around 74%,” Musayev stressed.

In addition, Musayev noted that WHO recommendations should take necessary measures for the autumn season, because the coronavirus brings new surprises each time.

“We can talk about the end of the pandemic if we go through the autumn season without a significant increase in COVID-19 cases,” Musayev added.

The Minister noted that people often attend mass events in the summer and there is a relative increase in the number of COVID-19 cases and added that currently the epidemiological situation in Azerbaijan is stable.

“There are practically no complications. The number of hospitalizations is quite low so far, the epidemiological situation is under full control. Appropriate measures will be taken in the event of a significant increase in COVID-19 cases,” Musayev said.

Speaking on the matter, the SMBDA Chairman pointed out that the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic showed our country’s dependence on the supply of much needed medical supplies.

According to him, the high duties on imported goods lead to an increase in the cost of services.

“We consider it necessary to take support measures to replace the import of medicines, medical equipment and other drugs into the country, in order to stimulate the production of these products by local entrepreneurs,” he said. Mammadov said.

Furthermore, he noted that it is proposed to introduce progressive models of PPP (public-private partnership) and the development of delivery mechanisms, taking into account that this field is science-intensive and financially intensive.

“The registration of products imported into the country by entrepreneurs sometimes results in a great loss of time. The period of product testing in the relevant labs results in its deterioration, additional waste of time and other costs,” he added.

Then Mammadov proposed to optimize interdepartmental coordination and stimulate the creation of private laboratories in this regard.

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Sabina Mammadli is the journalist of AzerNews, follow her on Twitter: @SabinaMmdl

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