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“The issue arose from the practical field as a result of the communities’ enlargement, when a legislative problem arose with the activities of a number of family medicine offices’ directors under the community subordination. The Law on Non-Commercial State Organizations states that the director of the primary link under the community subordination cannot perform other paid work, but an exception is given by the corresponding article’s sub-legislative act of the Law on Medical Aid and Population Services, where it is stated that the doctor can also perform the director's work:” the Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Health Care Narek Zeynalyan said during the working debate convened on February 24.

According to him, there is a legislative problem, there are also contradictions with some sub-legislative acts and the Government decisions.

Narek Zeynalyan informed that as a result of the communities’ enlargement, the primary health care centers operating in regions, such as rural outpatient clinics, family medicine centers, polyclinics, some of which remained a non-commercial state organization, and the other part turned into a non-commercial community organization, their regulations are different, whereas the field should be unified and based on institutional foundations.

The representatives of the Ministries of Health, Territorial Administration and Infrastructure participated in the debate.

The Deputy Minister of Health Artak Jumayan, in response to Narek Zeynalyan's question, informed that there is a unified approach regarding the regional primary link. According to Narek Zeynalyan, the primary link should be given to the communities, because the communities have a planned budget related to non-commercial community organizations.

The Committee Chair mentioned that there are problems regarding the procedure for the competition of non-commercial community organizations’ directors in the law on Local Self-Government Bodies as well: it is necessary to clarify the requirements of the contestants.

The Head of the Local Self-Government Coordination Division of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Karen Bakoyan informed that the best experience is recorded in the non-commercial community organizations. According to him, when it is clarified which powers are transferred to the communities, the legal field will be adjusted to the current reality.

Summarizing the working debate, Narek Zeynalyan noted that the two Ministries agreed to add to the Law on Non-Commercial State Organizations that this sphere is regulated by the Law on Medical Aid and Population Services and by sub-legislative acts.