The parliamentary committee for health, and for economic policy, industries and enterprising discussed the current situation in the country with the coronavirus infection, vaccination and the other steps taken and being taken in this regard at the joint online hearing held on 4 February at the instance of Chair of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova.

First Deputy Chair of the Milli Majlis Ali Huseynli, Deputy Chair Fazayil Ibrahimli, MPs and representatives of the Ministry of Health and other concerned authorities took part in the videoconference.

Chairman of the parliamentary Committee for Health Ahliman Amiraslanov who opened the session remarked in his introductory speech that the coronavirus infection concerned the Azerbaijani society as much as it did the rest of the world while the goal of the hearing was to discuss the overall situation in the country to the pandemic backdrop and to go through what efforts are being made to combat COVID-19. According to Mr Amiraslanov, the infection prevention and safe control are under the unwavering supervision of the Head of State Mr Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva. A massive amount of work was done in this regard last year.

Committee Chairman brought to the attention of the hearing participants a number of legislative modifications carried out last year in connection with the state of affairs, adding that the coronavirus situation was stable today. There is no serious difference between the number of infection and recovery cases; still, Mr Amiraslanov added, one should on no account let one’s guard down or slacken the precautions.

The next speaker at the hearing was Chairman of the Board of the State Agency for the Compulsory Medical Insurance Zaur Aliyev. He told the assembly that this insurance class precisely was an important component of the overall public health care system. He also informed them in detail of the deployment of the insurance programme last year. It followed from his statements that the compulsory medical insurance was implemented in 23 provinces of the country and approximately 50% of the local populace were able to benefit by various elements of the pertaining service package last year. Mr Aliyev stressed that the people were left very pleased with the services they had used.

Deputy Chair of the Board of the State Agency for the Compulsory Medical Insurance Nigyar Bayramova spoke of the proposals currently in the making to make certain changes in the relevant legislation.

Next, Chairman of the Board of the Administration Union for the Territorial Medical Units (AUTMU - TƏBİB) Ramin Bayramli detailed the work done by the TƏBİB in the pandemic period, identification of COVID-19 cases, the course of treatment, the infection supervision and isolation, the workings of the administrative, coordinative and supervision groups, and the process of vaccination.

The head of TƏBİB described eloquently logistics reinforcement, the process management at border checkpoints, the psychological aid services to patients and the international co-operation. He mentioned that 12 modular hospitals with 2,046 beds and a new clinic with the bed capacity of 570 beds had been commissioned in the country since the pandemic had begun. Last year, health facilities were supplied with 4,474 pieces of new medical equipment and instruments. There is close co-operation with such international organisations as, to mention but two, the WHO and UNICEF, in order to combat COVID-19; many joint projects have been carried into life.

Then spoke Deputy Chair of the Milli Majlis Fazayil Ibrahimli, Chairman of the parliamentary Committee for Economic Policy, Industries and Enterprising Tahir Mirkishili, the MPs Vahid Ahmadov, Ali Masimli, Malahat Ibrahimghizi, Ilham Mammadov, Mahir Abbaszade, Mashhur Mammadov, Sadagat Valiyeva, Kamila Aliyeva, Mazahir Efendiyev and Elnur Allahverdiyev. They all found the endeavours made to counter the virus to be laudable and said that that action played a serious role in preventing a further spread of the infection. It was emphasised that the falling number of infection cases did not mean a total disappearance of the disease and so, it would not do for the people to become placid.   

The other participants of the hearing were the MPs Ziyad Samadzade, Rashad Mahmudov, Ulvi Guliyev, Vugar Bayramov, Rufat Guliyev, Igbal Mammadov, Anatoliy Rafailov, Soltan Mammadov and Kamaladdin Gafarov, and Deputy Head of the Health Care Organisation Department of the Ministry of Health Teymur Musayev.

The Press and Public Relations Department
The Milli Majlis