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All Armenian government agencies are doing everything possible to restore the movement of persons and cargo along the Lachin Corridor, the sole road connecting Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) to Armenia, Armenia’s Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan told reporters on Thursday.

Baku blocked relief supplies to and medical evacuations from Artsakh on June 15. Only vehicles escorted by Russian peacekeepers and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) were allowed to pass through the road for the last seven months. The peacekeepers delivered food and other essential items to Karabakh, while the Red Cross evacuated severely ill patients to Armenia.

“The humanitarian situation is certainly getting worse with each passing hour, because the reserves are depleting. In addition, when planned medical treatment is postponed and the needs aren’t addressed, urgent medical care is required,” she said.

The Armenian Health Ministry officials remains in constant contact with their colleagues in Artsakh, Avanesyan said.

“There are patients in Artsakh whose treatment is possible solely in Armenia. The Stepanakert hospital is well equipped, it has a good team of specialists, but there are narrow-range health conditions that can be treated only in Yerevan,” she stated.