Towards universal welfare
Life expectancy is also moving upwards having reached the age of 67 among men and is now more than 73 for women, whilst cardiovascular and circulatory diseases could be a cause of great concern in years to come, driving, as stated, the pharmaceutical and technological expenditure in the country. In 2015 the mortality rate due to blood circulation diseases could reach the record-high of 428,410 Azerbaijani (versus the 2010 peak of 364,400 deaths). A wider access to advanced therapies is expected to reduce the mortality rate due to cancer and respiratory diseases. Tumors would cause the death of 76,700 Azerbaijani in 2006; but experts now forecast that the figure is about to fall to only 67,540 people in 2015. Respiratory problems were considered responsible for the decrease of 34,000 people in 2006 while by 2015 the figure is expected to decline significantly (13,000 cases). To improve and strengthen the national healthcare system the national government could this year spend up to 852 million dollars, as Frost & Sullivan calculated, while the amount was widely less impressive six years ago when whole investments in the sector wouldn’t reach the sum of 230 million dollars. According to recent World Bank estimates the result is due to a virtuous policy based on re-addressing the revenues generated by the oil, gas and energy industries and part of a strategy aimed at forms of universal welfare and primary care. Hospital beds are now less numerous in public-run structures: they used to be 8,100 in 2006; today they are about the half (4,600). But at the same time the number of apprentices and PHD in the public sector has risen up to 2,500, compared to the 800 that were employed only eight years ago. «Currently», observed Frost & Sullivan’s Healthcare research analyst, Uldouz Berenjforoush, «Azerbaijan’s healthcare expenditure remains small when compared to its Gross domestic product (Gdp). This means higher out of pocket payments (i.e. Oop) for patients; 62 per cent of fees in 2007 were Oop. To alleviate this burden, the state is aiming for universal welfare as well as other reforms aimed at improved».