Armenia's 2025 'health reforms' risk chaos in 2026, expert warns

Legislative reforms adopted in Armenia’s healthcare sector in 2025 could lead to serious disruptions in 2026, the head of a health rights group said, citing gaps in regional restructuring and an underprepared insurance law.

“Many of the so-called reforms of 2025 will create a chaotic situation in healthcare this year,” Anush Poghosyan, President of the Right to Health NGO, told Panorama.am in an interview on Saturday.

She identified the optimization of regional healthcare services and the introduction of mandatory health insurance as the main sources of concern. “The insurance law already has serious problems even before its full implementation,” Poghosyan said. “Unfortunately, insurance, which should have been a major reform serving the public interest, is likely to generate a wave of disappointment.”

Asked about achievements in the sector as Armenia enters 2026, Poghosyan pointed to limited progress in pediatric diabetes care. “The issue of children with Type 1 diabetes has been repeatedly raised,” she said. “I would consider it an achievement that non-invasive glucose monitoring devices have been provided for children – a technical improvement that came only after sustained advocacy.”

Looking ahead, Poghosyan said expectations for the rollout of mandatory insurance remain modest. “Let’s hope the insurance law functions in some form and that we see at least a 20% implementation of the first phase,” she said. “But my hopes are not very high.”

She added that the law was drafted with “numerous legislative gaps”, while secondary regulations contain “many shortcomings”. “In healthcare, any gap or flaw becomes immediately visible during the delivery of services to citizens,” Poghosyan said.