TERTIARY HEALTHCARE AS AN AGENT OF CHANGE

For the past decade, Armenia's primary and secondary healthcare systems have been the target of extensive and steady reforms. At the same time, Armenia has the ambition to become a regional center of excellence in medical services, implying much faster progress toward the sector's competitiveness. To that end, and as a complement to the primary and secondary healthcare reform process, the Competitiveness Foundation is focused on certain categories of tertiary care which have the potential to make breakthrough progress, and catalyze change in related sub-sectors of the healthcare system.

ONCOLOGY AND CARDIOLOGY

Armenia has the potential to become a regional leader in the diagnosis and treatment of oncological and cardiovascular diseases. Cancer and heart disease are Armenia's major health threats. Along with a prevention strategy, there is a need and an opportunity to improve the quality of diagnostics and the capacity for treatment. The Competitiveness Foundation aims to greatly accelerate the rate of progress of these sub-sectors through strategic investments in technology, training and international partnerships.

NUCLEAR MEDICINE

The Nuclear Medicine Project will create a facility in Yerevan to produce nuclear isotopes used in oncological and cardiovascular diagnostics and in treating cancer. In parallel, it will strengthen the capacity of clinics, enabling them to provide high-quality medical services in those areas. Using the principle of public-private partnership, the $40 million project is facilitating government investments in medical infrastructure and production facilities for nuclear medicine, while mobilizing private investment for the provision of related medical services. The cornerstone of this effort is the acquisition of a cyclotron, which will produce the required isotopes.

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP

The Nuclear Medicine Project is also forming partnerships with European and US medical groups to establish clinics in Armenia, and to become the first clients of the isotope production center. These partners will play a key role in making the project financially viable and self-sustaining. More importantly, they will become agents of the transfer of knowledge and knowhow, training local medical professionals in the provision of world-class oncology and cardiology services.

MEDICAL INSURANCE

Complementing the focus on tertiary healthcare is an opportunity to invest in the provision of private medical insurance. As the quality of medical care and services improves, people's willingness to purchase medical insurance will increase significantly. Private medical insurance, in combination with state coverage, will make otherwise expensive oncology and cardiology services more affordable to the general public.

INVESTMENT MASTER PLAN

The Competitiveness Foundation is currently developing a comprehensive investment master plan for the oncology sub-sector. This plan will describe the potential growth of the sub-sector, investments that the government will make in infrastructure and other resources, and opportunities for private investment and public-private partnerships across the entire oncology value chain. For each such investment opportunity, the plan will include a high-level business case as an initial step in mobilizing financing.