Eleven patients from the Republican Medical Center of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), together with their escorts, were transferred to specialized medical centers of Armenia through the mediation and accompaniment of the International Committee of the "Red Cross".

Artsakh Ministry of Health informs NEWS.am that 13 others are expected to be transported to Armenia during the day.

The patients are being sent to Armenia to get state-sponsored treatment there as Nagorno Karabakh is in a blockade by Azerbaijan for more than six months now.

At the moment, 20 children are receiving inpatient treatment in "Arevik" medical unit. Another 76 patients receive inpatient treatment at Republican Medical Center in Stepanakert of which 12 are in the intensive care unit with two in critical condition.

A series of protests have taken place in Yerevan recently, demanding the UN and other international organizations to take steps to put an end to the ongoing blockade of 120,000 residents of Artsakh that are deprived of necessities several months now.