Former Deputy Minister of Health Arrested

Former Deputy Minister of Health Vahan Poghosyan has been arrested in connection with a criminal case being investigated by the Abovyan investigative division of the Kotayk regional investigative department of the RA Investigative Committee, following the discovery of abuses at the National Center for Combating Tuberculosis.

The department of information and public relations of the RA Investigative Committee reminds that as a result of an audit conducted at the National Center for Combating Tuberculosis, a criminal case was initiated regarding a number of apparent abuses committed by former employees who held official positions in the center, in accordance with Article 179, Part 3, Point 1 and Article 308, Part 1 of the RA Criminal Code.

As a result of extensive investigative and procedural actions, numerous abuses have been identified, and the identities, time periods, and mechanisms of those who committed financial abuses have been established.

The investigation has revealed that the mentioned abuses took place during the period from 2014 to 2018.

Data has been obtained regarding the involvement of the former Deputy Minister of Health in these abuses.

It has been determined during the preliminary investigation that V. Poghosyan, who served as the deputy responsible for coordinating the Ministry's work in the area of HIV/AIDS prevention and organization of medical assistance and for implementing programs funded by the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Armenia from December 2011 to November 2016, apparently abused his official powers. He was arrested on March 7, 2019, on suspicion of committing the aforementioned crime.

The preliminary investigation is ongoing.