YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–President Robert Kocharian met with the Regional Director of the World Bank Judy O’Connor and the World Bank representative to Armenia Oweise Saadat on Thursday.
During the meeting the president reaffirmed Armenia’s intention to continue the cooperating with the World Bank.
The sides discussed World Bank-financed projects and prospects for cooperation. The president said that the credit program for small and medium-sized business is already being implemented and will create additional jobs in the country.
The president stated that Armenia will work on the adoption of a law on civil servants and the formation of the government service system.
O’Connor on Friday–visited three out-patient clinics in the Ararat and Armavir regions–which are being either reconstructed or constructed under the World Bank’s health financing project for developing initial medical and out-patient services. The cost of this project is $10 million.
Project Manager Susanna Hayrapetian said $3.2 million are designated for the construction or reconstruction of 70 out-patient clinics in all regions of the republic. Fourteen out-patients’ clinics are expected to go into operation by the end of the year. The project provides for supplying medical establishmen’s with equipment–furniture–cars and training for medical personnel. Programs to train family doctors and nurses have been established at the National Institute of Public Health–the Yerevan Medical University and the Medical College under the project.
The opening of the first out-patient clinic will take place this fall in the village of Aigevan in the Ararat region.
O’Connor was present at the laying of the foundation of what will be a out-patient clinic in the village of Zartonk. In his speech Armenia’s Minister of Public Health Hayk Nikoghossian hoped for the construction to be completed in three months and invited O’Connor to attend the clinic’s inauguration.