HRC 53: Interactive dialogue with Special Rapporteur on Health

22 June, 2023

President,

Armenia would like to thank the Special Rapporteur for the report.

In the era of rapid technological advancement, we must ensure that innovations are harnessed to improve access to healthcare and uphold the fundamental right to health for every individual.

The digital development holds immense potential to transform healthcare and advance the right to health for all. As we navigate in this landscape, we must remain vigilant in ensuring affordable and reliable connectivity, equitable access, protecting privacy, and upholding human rights.

The digital technologies and innovation can be utilized in humanitarian settings to mitigate the suffering of the people, but they cannot substitute the inpatient care.

The blockade imposed by Azerbaijan over the people of Nagorno-Karabakh has severely affected the right to health inter allia of 9.000 people with disabilities. Since 15 June Azerbaijan went even further by completely banning the very limited humanitarian transfers conducted by the ICRC. People are deprived of adequate medical help, while the medicine and essential goods are dwindling. The ICJ concluded that this situation leaves a serious detrimental impact on the health and lives of individuals and may entail irreparable consequences on their rights.

I thank you.

1st Right of reply

President,

Armenia exercises its right of reply to Azerbaijan.

The lack of access to adequate healthcare, medicines, vaccines and other health products is a major obstacle to the realization of the right to health. The people of Nagorno-Karabakh live in this situation since December 2022, when Azerbaijan blocked the Lachin Corridor, the only lifeline to the outside world. Moreover, from last week Azerbaijan banned even the limited humanitarian transfers conducted by the ICRC. At that point 175 medical patients with various diagnoses were waiting for the opportunity to be transferred to medical institutions of the Republic of Armenia to receive appropriate medical care and interventions. They were deprived of that opportunity.

Throughout the six months of blockade the people of Nagorno- Karabakh received only 7.5 percent of their usual food and other essential goods supply.

Numerus International Organizations have called for an end to the blockade and emphasized the need to prioritize the health and well-being of civilians in the region, as well as have also urged the guarantee of delivery of essential medical supplies.

The Amnesty International reported (and I quote) “Access to healthcare has become the most pressing issue in the blockaded region, with a deficit of medicines and medical supplies as well as insufficient fuel to enable outpatient care. The situation is particularly acute for older people and people with disabilities, many with chronic health conditions, whose access to healthcare services is severely limited or in some cases completely disrupted.” (end of quote)

Azerbaijan has cut also gas and electricity supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh which makes the operation of medical facilities almost impossible. All non-urgent examinations and interventions were canceled in all medical institutions of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Due to the continuous stress and uncertainty as well as malnutrition, the rates of neuropsychiatric problems, a number of diseases and complications such as miscarriages and abortions have increased.

The situation is alarming, as it not only poses a threat to the health and lives of individuals but also raises concerns about potential ethnic cleansing.

Armenia urges all humanitarian players across the UN to mobilize efforts and ensure the presence of the UN agencies on the ground in Nagorno- Karabakh and the Lachin Corridor to save the people and to prevent the further violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

Thank you.

MFA RA
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