Implementing early diagnostics reduces the burden on citizens, families, and the state alike.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, this statement was made by Anar Bayramov, Executive Director of TƏBİB (Management Union of Medical Territorial Units), while answering journalists' questions at a press conference.
He noted that in all developed nations, particularly those with advanced healthcare systems, primary healthcare services form the bedrock of the entire medical infrastructure:
"The primary functions of healthcare services are to protect public health, prevent diseases, and ensure early diagnostics. The importance of primary healthcare in this direction is immense. In line with the concept of healthcare modernization, strengthening human resources in this field is one of our key objectives."
Bayramov pointed out that analyses, including research by the World Health Organization, consistently demonstrate that investments in primary healthcare are among the most efficient allocations of resources.
"Because preventing the progression and complications of diseases through early diagnostics reduces the burden on the citizen, the family, and the state," he stated.
Bayramov emphasized that results from these analyses show that countries with robust primary healthcare systems experience increased life expectancy and improved overall health indicators:
"Infant and maternal mortality rates decrease, the number of healthy life years increases, and the number of emergency medical calls declines. These are among our primary goals. For this reason, regardless of the region, the salaries of our doctors working in primary healthcare, family health centers, and medical stations have been increased from 1,150 manats to 2,000 manats."
As an example, the TƏBİB official noted that research indicates that for every 10,000 people, increasing the number of doctors by just one family physician leads to a 6 percent reduction in mortality from all causes.
"As these goals are among the top priorities facing the healthcare system in Azerbaijan, significant steps are being taken to develop primary healthcare services," he concluded.
Context: Primary healthcare serves as the first point of contact for patients within a national health system. In Azerbaijan, the ongoing reforms aim to shift the focus from hospital-centric care to preventative, community-based medicine, which is a critical component of the country's broader strategy to improve public health outcomes and optimize the efficiency of the compulsory health insurance system.
