YEREVAN. – By the order of Governor Sergey Bagratyan of Armenia’s Vayots Dzor Region, Vayk city hospital’s  head of Obstetric-Gynecological Department Metaksia Hovhannisyan is dismissed from duty on the grounds of severe violation of medical ethics and norms.  

Another factor which also played a role in the physician’s dismissal was Health Minister Harutyun Kushkyan’s letter, whereby the Minister suggested to the Governor to stop Hovhannisyan’s medical activities. At regional establishments such decisions are reached by regional administrations, Health Minister’s press secretary Shushan Hunanyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.   

“The Ministry had sent a commission to Vayots Dzor to conduct studies and gather material on location. But the final conclusion was not made public since a criminal case was already launched. The commission, however, did prove that ‘there are certain flaws.’ And considering these flaws, the Minister sent a letter to the regional governor in mid-September, and suggested him to dismiss from their duties the head of the Healthcare Department of the Regional Administration’s Healthcare and Social Security Committee, and director of the medical center, and also to stop Metaksia Hovhannisyan’s medical activities,” Shushan Hunanyan noted.           

Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier that “We Will Not Keep Silent” youth initiative had released a video, in which a child’s relatives were recounting that the woman, who was about to deliver, was taken to Vayk hospital on August 11, but she had to wait for the head of the department, Metaksia Hovhannisyan. The latter had asked that the patient endure until she washed her linens, and decided to give instructions over the phone, despite the woman having difficulty in delivering the child. As a result of complications during delivery, however, the baby was subsequently transferred to Yerevan, where the newborn died several days later. The Police Force  launched a criminal case on charges of not carrying out, or improperly carrying out, medical duty.