1. Public Health and Reforms Center of the Ministry of Health of the Azerbaijan Republic (hereinafter referred to as The Center) deals with organization of public health services in the country, as well as defines main directions for the development and implementation of health programs, regulation of reforms in medical institutions and methodic justification of implementation of reforms in health financing.

2. In its activity The Center is being guided by the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, decrees and orders of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, orders and instructions of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan, orders and instructions of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the international treaties to which the Azerbaijan Republic is party to, as well as this Regulations.

3. The Center has its independent balance, state property at its disposal in accordance with legislation, treasury and bank accounts, seal with national emblem of the Republic of Azerbaijan and stamp with its own name and letterheads.

4. Costs for maintenance and operations of the Center are funded by the state budget of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well from other sources not contradicting the existing legislation.

5. The Center is situated at: 96 Hasanbek Zardabi str, Yasamal district, Baku.

6. Directions of The Center’s operations are as follows:

6.1. Participation, under the management of Ministry and within the scope of own authorities, in formulation and implementation of the unified state policy on protection of health of population;

6.2. ensuring the organization of public health services, development of proposals and methodic documents on implementation of reforms in health management and financing;

6.3. development of proposals on adjustment of health legislation to current requirements and ongoing reforms, as well as on improvement of the medical institutions operations arrangements and qualification of medical staff;

6.4. implementation of reforms in primary healthcare, resolution of issues related to development and implementation of health programs;

6.5. organization of application of high technologies in health sector;

6.6. implementation of operations in other areas set by legislation;

7. Key Responsibilities of The Center are as follows:

7.1. justification of health policy and reforms implementation from scientific and practical points of view;

7.2. development of proposals for improvement of health legislation;

7.3. formation of single information environment, development of communication and information technologies in health;

7.4. development and implementation of necessary organizational activities to resolve issues on protection of the heath of population, improvement of provision of healthcare services and introduction of family medicine concept in Azerbaijan;

7.5. development of methodological guidelines related to the organization of operation of general practitioners (family doctors);

7.6. development of principles for financial-economic and legislative provision of introduction and development of the mandatory health insurance system within the ongoing health sector reforms;

7.7. establishment of public forms of health management in accordance with needs of population;

7.8. implementation of sanitary and educational activities, as well as development of methodic tools for improvement of preventive care, increase of preventive medical measures, promotion of healthy lifestyle, improvement of medical culture of population;

7.9. development of interrelations between the institutions, related to protection of public health, provision of assistance in integration of activities on health and social provision services;

7.10. application in practical health of the latest developments of medical science, modern treatment, diagnostic and preventive measures, new medical technologies, including the advance technology based methods of provision of qualified medical assistance, and provision of methodic and practical assistance to medical entities in this area;

7.11. development of healthcare system performance indicators and methods for their evaluation, development of system for monitoring the health of population, aimed at facilitation of long-term planning management decisions based on collected data and its further analysis.

7.12. ensuring the application of standards and clinic protocols for medical practices, based on the principles of evidence-based medicine, improvement of the quality of medical services delivered to population via improvement of post-diploma education of medical staff;

7.13. application of modern approaches to the provision of human resources for health sector, development of mechanisms of modernization of system of training and re-training (in-service) of medical personnel;

7.14. development of proposals on perspective operations of the health network, planning of construction works at health facilities from the medical point of view and implementation of design works;

7.15. participation in international projects and national programs implemented in the health sector and development of working relations with national coordinators in this area;

7.16. implementation of scientific symposiums, seminars, exhibitions, practical trainings etc. and participation in them;

7.17. provision of efficient and purposeful use of budget funds, credits, grants and other financial means;

7.18. provision of healthy and safe work conditions for staff employed in The Center;

7.19. provision, within the scope of own authorities, of implementation of international treaties to which the Azerbaijan Republic is a party to;

7.20. implementation, in accordance with legislation, of measures required for protection of state secrets and confidentiality regime;

7.21. review of incoming applications and complaints on The Center’s operations, and implementation of measures specified by the legislation;

7.22. provision of accounting in accordance with the legislation;

7.23. implementation of other responsibilities in accordance with its operational directions as stipulated by the legislation.

8. The Center enjoys the following right while implementing own responsibilities:

8.1. develop proposals on modern methods of medical services provided to population;

8.2. participate in social initiatives on public health;

8.3. analyze the efficiency and quality of performance of the structural units of The Center;

8.4. implement works on improvement of professional qualifications, theoretical level among the center’s personnel;

8.5. apply through the establishment of pilot model of “Family Medicine” modern methods on practice for the purpose of improvement the organization of preventing, diagnosis and treatment of patients;

8.6. implement within the scope of own authorities, relevant measures for improvement of qualification and retraining of doctors;

8.7. participate in and organize medical conferences, symposiums, trainings and other activities related to the fields of its operation;

8.8. make enquiries on required information (documents) related to the area of its operations to the state bodies and local self-governance authorities, private individuals and legal entities and receive such information (documents) from them;

8.9. attract independent experts and specialists to own activities in accordance with provisions of legislation;

8.10. develop and publish in accordance with provisions of legislation, special bulletins, training materials, methodic documents, create own website and use it;

8.11. establish in accordance with legislation subordinated structures to provide the center’s operations;

8.12. enjoy other rights stipulated by the legislation in connection with its operations.

9. Approval of the structure of The Center and establishment of the number of required personnel is implemented by the Ministry of Health of the Azerbaijan Republic in accordance with legislation.

10. The Center is headed by Director, who is appointed and dismissed from his position by the Minister of Health of the Azerbaijan Republic. Director shall bear personal responsibility for implementation rights and responsibilities of the Center.

11. Director has deputies, appointed and dismissed from their positions by the Minister of Health of the Azerbaijan Republic.
Deputy Directors implement and shall bear the personal responsibility for their assigned roles.

12. Director:

12.1. organizes the operations of the center and manages it;

12.2. appoints and dismisses from their positions the employees of The Center in accordance with established procedures, applies punitive and motivational measures;

12.3. issues binding orders and instructions in accordance with legislation, organizes their implementation and provides supervision;

12.4. implements measures to improve the qualification of doctors and middle level medical personnel;

12.5. represents The Center.

13. In the center the Council comprised of the director (Chairman of Council), his deputies, heads of the structural units of the center is established. Also specialists and scientists may be the members of the Council.

14. Number of members and the composition of the Council is approved by the Ministry of Health of the Azerbaijan Republic.

15. At its meetings the Council discusses the issues related to The Center’s operations and makes relevant decisions.

16. Meetings of the Council shall be deemed authorized in presence of more than half of its members. Decisions of the Council shall be adopted by the simple majority of votes. In the event of equal distribution of votes, the vote of the Chairman of Council shall be decisive.

17. Decisions of the Council are documented by minutes of meeting and shall be approved by director.

18. If necessary, the heads of other executive authorities and organizations, as well the representatives of non-government organizations can be invited to attend the meetings of the Council.