For the first time, the prison healthcare staff now have access to a recognised, evidence-based, and accredited capacity building programme tailored specifically to the realities and challenges of the penitentiary system.

The Council of Europe organised a training of trainers (ToT) on 15–17 October 2025 in Yerevan bringing together ten medical specialists from the Prison Medicine Centre. The programme focused on developing both professional and teaching competencies, preparing participants to train future healthcare staff within the penitentiary system.

This nationally accredited training course for prison healthcare staff was developed and implemented for the first time in Armenia through close co-operation between the Prison Medicine Centre and the National Institute of Health after S. Avdalbekyan. This pioneering milestone strengthens the professional capacity and institutional standards of healthcare within the penitentiary system.

The course provides a structured, high-quality framework for continuous professional development of prison medical personnel, ensuring prison health services meet national and international standards in penitentiary healthcare. By focusing on critical areas such as chronic and infectious disease management, emergency healthcare, and communicable disease control, the programme directly contributes to improving health outcomes and reducing public health risks both within prisons and in the wider community.

Through the ToT, the participants were equipped with the skills to deliver the prison healthcare accredited course independently, ensuring institutional ownership and long-term sustainability.

This event took place within the framework of the Council of Europe project “Further Strengthening the Protection of the Rights of Persons Deprived of Liberty”, implemented under the Action Plan for Armenia 2023–2026.