Armenia’s Universal Health Insurance Fund, in cooperation with the European Union and the health ministries of Croatia and Slovenia, has officially launched the EU Twinning programme entitled “Support for the Implementation of Universal Health Insurance Reform in Armenia”.

In her opening remarks at the launch event at the National Gallery of Armenia, Armenian Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan said the programme would allow Armenia to study the experience of EU member states Croatia and Slovenia and implement universal health insurance reform more effectively through exchanges of expertise.

“On 1 January 2026, we began a phase of the long-awaited reform. The transition to the new insurance model was intended to address our citizens’ health needs in a more timely and cost-effective manner. Our main motivation is to improve our health indicators every year and increase average life expectancy. We have made considerable progress in this regard. Even before the introduction of insurance, other reforms we had implemented helped us achieve an average life expectancy of 78.6 years in 2024 for the first time, a record for us. In 2025, we increased it to 78.9 years. This year, the introduction of universal health insurance will improve this indicator further,” the minister said.

She said one of Armenia’s goals was to develop its healthcare system in line with international best standards.

“We greatly value Croatia’s participation in the EU-funded Twinning programme. This will give us a broader understanding of the challenges we face and allow us to understand how we can help each other overcome problems in public health and financing,” Avanesyan said.

She thanked partner countries Croatia and Slovenia for their cooperation.

Croatian Health Minister Irena Hrstić said the programme was bringing Croatia, Slovenia and Armenia together, with EU financial support, around a common goal: making healthcare more accessible.

“Universal health insurance is much more than simply financing healthcare. It is an _expression_ of solidarity and also our responsibility towards every individual. Croatia has had public healthcare and national insurance systems in place for several years, and Armenia is also seeking to achieve that goal,” Hrstić said.

She congratulated Armenia’s health minister and prime minister on making healthcare a priority for Armenian citizens.

“I believe the transfer of knowledge and experience will help Armenia advance that goal and will also contribute to cooperation and friendship. Friendship, knowledge, experience, dialogue and close ties — I believe both countries will benefit,” the Croatian health minister said.

Vassilis Maragos, Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, added that the programme was challenging but also motivating.

“For my part, I would like to emphasise how much we value our partnership with Armenia. People are the most important component of our partnership. The Twinning cooperation format brings together the expertise of our member states. We began discussing this programme after some time, and you also needed time for us to develop the formats. We are guided by the Team Europe approach. The Twinning format requires very thorough preparation. We value our partnership with Armenia as a key partner in reforms,” Maragos said.

The two-year EU-funded programme is an important step in implementing comprehensive universal health insurance reforms in Armenia. It aims to strengthen institutional capacity, optimise healthcare financing mechanisms and support the establishment of sustainable structures within the system to ensure high-quality, accessible healthcare services for Armenian citizens.

The programme also provides for promoting institutional cooperation and exchanges of knowledge and best practices. Cooperation will focus on strengthening legal and institutional frameworks, ensuring efficient operations, promoting financial sustainability and improving healthcare system governance.