Primary health care advanced in Armenia as WHO assists with improving guidelines

WHO, with funding from the European Union, is assisting Armenia’s Ministry of Health (MoH) in adapting and improving guidelines on the management and treatment of a variety of infections, including community-acquired pneumonia, pharyngitis, urinary tract infections, otitis media, as well as COVID-19. WHO is helping introduce these guidelines to primary health care providers throughout the country.

Primary health care (PHC) addresses most of a person’s health care needs throughout their lifetime, ensuring they receive comprehensive care ranging from prevention to treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care.

The updated guidelines are accompanied by algorithms which will assist PHC professionals by standardizing decision-making in the delivery of care, and reducing uncertainty in how treatment regimes are selected and applied. With funding from the European Union, the updated guidelines and algorithms will be printed and distributed among PHC facilities.

“Accurate and effective patient management is enabled by the availability and use of patient care management algorithms,” says Gayane Ghukasyan, WHO Country Programme Coordinator for Communicable Diseases in Armenia. She points out that “reliable and easily accessible clinical case management guidelines and care models make it easier for primary care physicians to manage and treat patients effectively.”