GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA

No 777-N of 22 June 2012

Based on point 7 of part 1 of Article 6 of the Law of the Republic of Armenia “On public healthcare”, the Government of the Republic of Armenia hereby decides:

(Preamble edited by No 1505-N of 26 September 2024)

1. To approve the action plan for introducing, at checkpoints of the state border, the international healthcare (medical-sanitary) rules in the Republic of Armenia and that implemented in public health sector during international emergencies, pursuant to the Annex.

(Point 1 amended by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020, No 1505-N of 26 September 2024)

2. This Decision shall enter into force on the day following its official promulgation.

1. Application of International Healthcare (Medical-Sanitary) Rules (hereinafter referred to as “the Rules”) at checkpoints of the state border of the Republic of Armenia (hereinafter referred to as “the state border”) shall ensure the organisation and implementation of actions for prevention of the importation of incidents with the potential to cause international emergency in the public health sector conditioned by biological, chemical and radiation risks in the territory of the Republic of Armenia (hereinafter referred to as “incidents causing emergency situation”), their international dissemination and the measures for the fight against them, as well as rapid response and response actions at public health level which incite additional obstacles for international trade and transfers.

(Point 1 amended by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

2. The actions during application of the Rules and detection of incidents causing emergency situation at checkpoints of the state border shall regulate the exchange of information between the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia — prescribed as the national co-ordinating body for the Rules (hereinafter referred to as “the national co-ordinating body”) under Decision of the Government of the Republic of Armenia “On recognising the national co-ordinating body for the International Healthcare (Medical-Sanitary) Rules and on establishing the powers of the national co-ordinating body for the International Healthcare (Medical-Sanitary) Rules” No 809-N of 16 July 2009 — and the bodies implementing state border control or supervision at checkpoints of the state border and the process of organising healthcare (medical, preventive and restricting) measures during the application of the Rules and the incidents causing emergency situation.

(Point 2 amended by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

3. Each body implementing control or supervision prescribed by the Law “On state border” at checkpoints of the state border shall designate a rules officer responsible for the introduction of rules, including for rapid response to incidents causing emergency situation in order to ensure co-operation of the national co-ordinating body and other competent bodies.

(Point 3 edited by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

4. While detecting an incident causing emergency situation in the course of their activities, the bodies implementing control or supervision at checkpoints of the state border of the Republic of Armenia shall inform the authorised state body of this sector thereof as prescribed by the legislation of the Republic of Armenia, pursuant to Annex No 2 to the Decision of the Government of the Republic of Armenia “On approving the mechanisms of co-operation and procedures for co-ordination of the national co-ordinating body and interested bodies for international healthcare (medical-sanitary) rules” No 1138-N of 26 August 2010.

(Point 4 amended by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

5. The goals of the Plan shall be as follows:

(1) to prevent the importation and dissemination of incidents causing emergency situation into the territory of the Republic of Armenia, to organise and implement — in a timely manner and effectively — the rapid response and healthcare (medical, preventive and restricting) measures at public health level as a result of improvement of the co-operation of bodies implementing control or supervision at checkpoints of the state border;

(2) to ensure co-operation between the national co-ordinating body and the bodies implementing control or supervision at checkpoints of the state border.

(Point 5 amended by No 1514-N of 30 November 2017, amended, edited by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

6. The objectives of the Plan shall be as follows:

(1) to implement measures for supervision and, upon necessity, healthcare (medical, preventive and restricting) measures, as prescribed by law, against persons and cargo, goods, luggage, postal parcels, corpses of people, containers (hereinafter referred to as “persons and goods”) and vehicles crossing the state border of the Republic of Armenia in order to prevent and combat the dissemination of incidents causing emergency situation by the competent authorities at checkpoints of the state border;

(2) to ensure, the effective preparedness, to a possible extent, of the competent authorities to respond to international emergencies in the public health sector at checkpoints of the state border;

(3) to ensure co-operation between the competent authorities of checkpoints of the state border and the bodies implementing control or supervision, as prescribed by law, on the state border.

(Point 6 amended by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

7. The incidents causing emergency situation conditioned by biological factor at checkpoints of the state border shall be as follows:

(1) recording of cases of suspicious infectious disease that may entail international emergencies in public health sector;

(2) detection of contaminated cargo, goods and vehicles conditioned by biological factor.

(Point 7 amended by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

8. For the purpose of preventing and combating incidents causing emergency situation conditioned by biological risk at checkpoints of the state border, the bodies operating at checkpoints of the state border shall carry out the priority actions for combating incidents causing emergencies in public health sector conditioned by biological factors as prescribed by law, each of them acting within the scope of their respective powers.

(Point 8 amended by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

9. The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia shall, acting as the national co-ordinating body for the International Health (Medical-Sanitary) Rules, exercise the powers prescribed by the Decision of the Government of the Republic of Armenia No 809-N of 16 July 2009.

(Point 9 edited by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

9.1. Pursuant to Article 14 of the Law “On state border”, upon recommendation of the national co-ordinating body for the International Healthcare Rules and in the cases prescribed by the Decision of the Government of the Republic of Armenia, the Health and Labour Inspection Body of the Republic of Armenia shall:

(1) strengthen sanitary-quarantine supervision, organise the following medical, preventive and restricting measures:

a. it shall exercise supervision over the transportation of persons, cargo, luggage, containers, goods (except for food, goods, pesticides and agrochemicals subject to veterinary and medical-sanitary control), postal parcels, vehicles (including the salons, kitchens, garbage and water maintenance spots, trunks of planes and railway transportation means, official buildings), the remains of humans arriving in the territory of the Republic of Armenia in order to prevent the importation of products (goods) posing a potential danger to human health, the importation, emergence and dissemination of infectious and massive non-infectious diseases (poisonings);

b. it shall organise the examination of sick persons in the examination room located on the first line at checkpoints of the state border of the Republic of Armenia, upon necessity — their isolation, hospitalisation, as well as it shall organise, if needed, rapid testing to diagnose a disease;

c. it shall organise primary medical aid and support for sick persons through organisations providing medical aid and support attached to borderline medical-sanitary control points;

d. it shall organise to fill in, by persons in contact with sick persons (the contacts), the “Address card for approval of residence of a passenger for public health maintenance” approved upon the Decision of the Government of the Republic of Armenia No 219-N of 3 February 2011, or to fill in the address card in other format proposed by the national co-ordinating body;

e. it shall verify the availability of facts as to medical examination, vaccinations or other preventive measures applied to persons, inform about the conduct of vaccinations or other preventive measures;

f. it shall, within the scope of its competence, organise enforcement of measures for quarantine or other healthcare (medical-sanitary) measures for passengers or suspicious sick persons having arrived;

g. it shall exercise supervision over any activities for disinfection, deratisation, disinsection or decontamination of cargo, luggage, containers, goods, postal parcels, remains of humans, vehicles, their parking spots and checkpoint of the state border, as well as verifies the certifying documents thereof;

h. it shall verify, upon necessity, the bill of lading at the checkpoints of the state border, whereas at checkpoints of the aerial border — also the healthcare-related section of the main declaration of the plane;

i. it shall exercise supervision over the safe maintenance and transfer of human remains;

j. it shall organise, upon necessity, the isolation of cargo, luggage, containers, goods, postal parcels and vehicles and the application of quarantine measures declared within the scope of its competence;

k. it shall submit a recommendation, for the purpose of eliminating infection or contamination, as well as transmitters and reservoirs, on the processing of cargo, luggage, containers, goods, postal parcels, human remains and vehicles;

l. it shall submit a recommendation on the confiscation and destruction of infected cargo, luggage, containers, goods, postal parcels and vehicles;

(2) it shall carry out supervision over the safe removal of contaminated water, product of human or animal life activity, collection of wastewater and any other contaminated substance;

(3) it shall inform and provide relevant consulting to those departing and those arriving, as well as to the personnel of bodies exercising control and supervision at checkpoints of the state border about health risks posing danger;

(4) it shall submit a recommendation to the bodies exercising control and supervision at checkpoints of the state border in order to ensure the protection of the personnel through personal protective equipment.

(Point 9.1 supplemented by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

10. The State Revenue Committee of the Republic of Armenia shall, as prescribed by law:

(1) exercise control over substances containing biological risks, for vehicles, cargo and goods being transported across the customs border;

(2) ensure out-of-turn customs formulations for luggage of sick persons and contacts;

(3) ensure, upon necessity, implementation of activities for disinfection, disinsection, deratisation or decontamination by specialised organisations as prescribed by paragraph “g” of sub-point 1 of point 9.1 of this Plan.

(Point 10 amended, supplemented by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

11. The Food Safety Inspection Body of the Republic of Armenia shall strengthen borderline state supervision by taking the following preventive measures:

(1) implementing supervision over food, goods subject to veterinary, medical-sanitary control, as well as pesticides and agrochemicals being imported, exported, transported, re-exported and transported via transit;

(2) organising and implementing measures preventing the penetration of quarantine-related diseases, particularly hazardous and to-be-notified diseases of animals into the territory of the Republic of Armenia, by expanding the co-operation of state and other interested bodies in this direction;

(3) implementing anti-epidemic measures and exchanging information jointly with healthcare authorities, in case of infections that are common for animals and people.

(Point 11 edited by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

12. The Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Armenia shall, as prescribed by law:

(1) (Sub-point repealed by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

(2) support, upon necessity, the activities for observation of and control over the level of bacterial infection in the environment;

(3) organise the warning and notification of the population;

(4) warn the state bodies of the risk of emergence of incidents causing emergency situation or of those already emerged.

(Point 12 amended, edited by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

13. The Border Troops of the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia shall, as prescribed by law:

(1) implement measures to rule out the cases of avoiding borderline supervision during the detection of incidents causing emergency situations;

(2) ensure maintenance, by persons, of vital resources in satisfactory sanitary conditions and keeping them away from sources of infection or contamination at the designated “Bagratashen” checkpoint of the state border (including transmitters and reservoirs of infectious diseases).

(Point 13 amended by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

14. The Police of the Republic of Armenia shall, as prescribed by law:

(1) assist in warning and notification of the population;

(2) strengthen control over observance of public order;

(3) ensure out-of-turn formulations of entry visas for sick persons and contacts.

(Point 14 amended by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

15. The Civil Aviation Committee of the Republic of Armenia shall, as prescribed by law:

(1) co-ordinate the activities of “Zvartnots” International Airport, of those operating planes and of the bodies implementing border control at the designated “Zvartnots” checkpoint of the state border;

(2) co-ordinate the availability of equipment used by competent authority responsible for the Rules, as well as the safe transportation of a passenger suspected of having an infectious disease to the plane and (or) the territory envisaged for temporary isolation;

(3) co-ordinate the safe transportation of persons having had contact with sick persons (the contacts) to the medical examination room located in the first line of the checkpoints of the state border of the Republic of Armenia;

(4) co-ordinate the activities of elimination and safe removal of contaminated water, product of human or animal life activity, collection of wastewater and any other contaminated substance;

(5) co-ordinate the maintenance, by persons, of vital resources in satisfactory sanitary conditions and keeping them away from sources of infection or contamination at the designated “Zvartnots” checkpoint of the state border (including transmitters and reservoirs of infectious diseases);

(6) co-ordinate the activities for any disinfection, deratisation, disinsection or decontamination of cargo, goods and vehicles;

(7) co-ordinate the participation of its employees in the healthcare (medical, preventive and restricting) measures proposed by the competent authority responsible for the Rules;

(8) co-ordinate the parking of the affected plane at a sanitary stop.

(Point 15 amended by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

16. The incidents causing emergency situation conditioned by radiation factor at checkpoints of the state border shall be as follows:

(1) detecting persons with symptoms of acute radiation sickness;

(2) detecting cargo, goods and vehicles with high level of radioactivity which may pose danger to public health.

(Point 16 amended by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

17. The priority actions for the fight against incidents causing emergency situation conditioned by radiation factors at checkpoints of the state border shall be carried out by the bodies implementing control or supervision at checkpoints of the state border, each of them acting within the scope of their respective powers.

(Point 17 amended by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

18. In the event of the cases causing emergency situation conditioned by radiation factors at checkpoints of the border, the Health and Labour Inspection Body of the Republic of Armenia shall:

(1) carry out the actions prescribed by sub-point 1 of point 9.1 of this Plan while detecting persons with symptoms of radiation sickness;

(2) carry out the actions prescribed by sub-points 3 and 4 of point 9.1 of this Plan;

(3) participate in the implementation of activities for de-activation of persons, cargo and goods arriving from the zone contaminated by radioactive substances, as well as in the sanitary cleaning of persons.

(Point 18 edited by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

19. The State Revenue Committee of the Republic of Armenia shall, as prescribed by law:

(1) organise and implement control over the radiation safety of persons, vehicles and goods being transported across the customs border;

(2) organise the process of transporting cargo, goods or vehicles that are hazardous from the point of radiation safety to a safe place and that of their maintenance until the State Nuclear Safety Regulatory Committee of the Republic of Armenia organises relevant measures;

(3) carry out the actions prescribed by sub-point 2 of point 10 of this Plan for persons, cargo and goods with initial symptoms of potential radiation.

(Point 19 amended by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

20. The Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Armenia shall, as prescribed by law:

(1) carry out the actions prescribed by sub-point 1 of point 12 of this Plan;

(2) ensure decontamination of persons, cargo and goods arriving from the zone contaminated by radioactive substances, as well as organise the activities for sanitary cleaning of persons;

(3) organise monitoring of and control over radiation in the environment;

(4) carry out the actions prescribed by sub-point 4 of point 12 of this Plan.

21. The Border Troops of the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia shall, as prescribed by law, carry out the actions prescribed by point 13 of this Plan.

(Point 21 amended by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

22. In case of detection of persons with initial symptoms of radiation, the Police of the Republic of Armenia shall, as prescribed by law, carry out the actions prescribed by point 14 of this Plan.

(Point 22 amended by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

23. The Civil Aviation Committee of the Republic of Armenia shall, as prescribed by law, carry out the actions prescribed by sub-points 1, 7 and 8 of point 15 of this Plan.

(Point 23 amended by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

24. During the incidents conditioned by radiation factor the State Nuclear Safety Regulatory Committee of the Republic of Armenia shall, as prescribed by law, provide the bodies implementing control or supervision at checkpoints of the state border with consultation on assessment of the state of radiation, implementation of forecasts with regard to the change in the state of radiation and on necessary protection measures.

(Point 24 amended by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

25. The incidents causing emergency situation conditioned by chemical factor at checkpoints of the state border shall be as follows:

(1) detecting persons with symptoms of acute chemical poisoning;

(2) detecting persons with chemical burns;

(3) detecting hazardous chemical substances which may pose danger to public health.

(Point 25 amended by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

26. The bodies implementing border control at checkpoints of the state border shall carry out priority actions for combating incidents causing emergency situation conditioned by chemical hazards, in compliance with the requirements of the Decision of the Government of the Republic of Armenia “On approving the plan for protection of the population in case of accident in chemical objects or chemical hazard and post-accident rehabilitation actions in case of accident in hazardous chemical objects in the Republic of Armenia” No 861-N of 8 July 2010.

(Point 26 amended by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020)

(Annex amended by No 1514-N of 30 November 2017, amended, edited, supplemented by No 1222-N of 23 July 2020, amended by N 1505-N of 26 September 2024)

Published on a joint site 09.07.2025.